A prospecting license permits the conduct of prospecting extraction of precious metals and precious stones at placer deposits, as well as at technogenic deposits (for example, at dumps and in stockpiled waste from mining and metallurgical production).

Prospecting may be carried out manually or with the use of mechanized equipment.

Precious metals include gold, silver, platinum, and platinum group metals (palladium, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, and osmium) in any state and form.
Precious stones include natural diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and alexandrites, as well as natural pearls in raw (natural) and processed form. Unique amber formations are equated to precious stones.

A prospecting license is issued only to citizens of Kazakhstan, and a citizen may hold only one such license.

The area of a prospecting plot must be not less than 500 square meters and not more than 5 hectares. Such plots must be included in the list of lands designated for prospecting.

• Territories designated for prospecting in the East Kazakhstan Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V18V0005721
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Zhetisu Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/G25I000246A
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Zhetisu Region (additional): https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V24I0025019
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Ulytau Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/G25H006301A
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Kostanay Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V18N0007975
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Almaty Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V18D0005049
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Abai Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V23F0003618
• Territories designated for prospecting in the Turkestan Region: https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V19U0005270

If the required plot is not included in the approved territory designated for prospecting, an application must be submitted to the entrepreneurship department of the relevant region (or directly to the regional akimat) to include the plot in this list.

Upon receipt of the application, the entrepreneurship department coordinates the matter with the territorial bodies of the authorized authority in the field of environmental protection, the territorial subdivisions of the authorized authority for subsoil study, as well as with basin water inspections for the protection and regulation of the use of water resources.


After all approvals have been obtained, a draft of the relevant resolution is submitted for signature to the regional akim.

Once the plot has been included in the list of lands designated for prospecting, an application for the issuance of a license may be submitted.

An application for the issuance of a prospecting license is currently submitted through the elicense.kz portal elisence.kz. There is also an option to submit the application through the portal  minerals.e-qazyna.kz

The following documents shall be attached to the application:

1. The applicant’s details, an identity document, and full details of the prospecting plot in accordance with the requirements of Article 265 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Subsoil and Subsoil Use”.
2. A power of attorney, if the application is submitted by a representative..
3. A list of mechanized equipment and machinery approved by the applicant that is planned to be used for prospecting, as well as a description of the types and methods of works planned to be carried out on the plot..
4. The consent of the land user or private owner of the land plot, as well as of the subsoil plot user, within whose territory the requested plot is located.
5. A prospecting plan, in the event that mechanized equipment is to be used during the first year of the license validity.

A prospecting plan, in the event that mechanized equipment is to be used during the first year of the license validity.