(4 February 2026 | Source: press service of the Ulytau region prosecutor's office)
A court in the Ulytau region has passed a sentence in a case involving the illegal extraction of manganese ore without a licence or subsoil use contract. A resident of the Kostanay region organised the extraction of minerals over several years and legalised income from their sale on domestic and foreign markets.
HOW THE ILLEGAL MINING SCHEME WORKED
As reported by the Ulytau region prosecutor's office, the investigation was conducted jointly with the department of economic investigations. It was established that a 50-year-old resident of the Kostanay region, between 2020 and 2023, organised the extraction of manganese ore at the Vostochny Karazhal deposit without a licence or subsoil use contract.
The case materials state that the extracted ore was transported and sold, and the proceeds were legalised through cash withdrawals and fictitious transactions.
VOLUME OF EXTRACTION AND DAMAGE CAUSED
During the period of illegal activity, more than 16,000 tonnes of manganese ore were shipped. According to the investigation, direct damage to the state amounted to over 1.3 billion tenge.
At the same time, as a result of the processing and subsequent sale of ferromanganese ore on the domestic market and outside Kazakhstan, the convicted individual generated income of more than 3.5 billion tenge.
SENTENCE AND CONFISCATION OF PROPERTY
In a ruling by the Ulytau region court, the man was sentenced to 5 years and 4 months in prison. Additionally, he is banned from working in the field of subsoil use for a period of 5 years.
An amount of 4.8 billion tenge has been recovered in favour of the state. The court also ordered the confiscation of 3 cars and 2 heavy goods vehicles, which, according to the case materials, were purchased with proceeds obtained through criminal means.
The sentence has entered into legal force.