During the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Yersaiyn Nagaspayev, Kazakhstan's Minister of Industry and Construction, announced that the country is prepared to grant exclusive benefits to major Russian investors in the critical minerals and rare-earth metals sectors. Emphasizing the importance of technological cooperation, Nagaspayev stated that Kazakhstan is open to both Russian and international investors, offering incentives such as tax and customs preferences in special economic zones. The minister highlighted the priority of developing the critical raw materials industry as part of Kazakhstan's broader industrial policy. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive system encompassing geological exploration, extraction, deep processing, and the sale of finished products. Kazakhstan's established competencies in critical minerals make collaboration with Russia particularly valuable, according to Nagaspayev. The SPIEF-2026, where these announcements were made, is focused on establishing a new model of global development amid economic transformations.