Solvomet KU Leuven has signed its first-ever Services Agreement with TMK (Uzbekistan Technological Metals Complex). The agreement was formalised during the dedicated session “Critical Raw Materials Investment Opportunities in Uzbekistan”, organised by EIT RawMaterials and the European Commission’s DG INTPA as part of the EU Critical Raw Materials Week 2025 in Brussels.
TMK is a major mining and metallurgical company with a broad portfolio of more than 25 commodities, and with a particularly strong focus on tungsten and molybdenum. The organisation manages over 100 CRM projects, making Uzbekistan one of the few regions outside China with such a concentration of critical raw materials.
The newly signed project will focus on the recovery of rare earth elements and rhenium from Uranium-depleted Pregnant Leach Solutions originating from Uzbekistan’s U-REE-Re mines. The research will be conducted by the KU Leuven SOLVOMET R&I Centre, led by Professor Koen Binnemans and integrated within SIM² KU Leuven.
This collaboration with TMK became possible thanks to the matchmaking efforts of EIT RawMaterials. The project is set to start in January 2026 and is expected to be the first in a broader series of joint initiatives, given both the considerable CRM potential in Uzbekistan and the Strategic Partnership on CRMs between the EU and Uzbekistan. As Europe does not possess sufficient CRM resources to ensure self-sufficiency, building strong and reliable partnerships will be essential. This agreement reflects that long-term vision.
The signing ceremony marked what Dr. Amir Abidov (UzTMK) described as “a historic achievement for Uzbekistan, establishing such a partnership with a world-leading institution in hydrometallurgy” and “a new chapter for our country’s technological development and international cooperation in critical raw materials.”
During the event, Charlotte Adriaen (DG INTPA, European Commission) also confirmed that the EU and Uzbekistan signed an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) on 24 October 2025. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation on CRM supply chains, capacity development, and technology sharing. The growing collaboration between Uzbekistan and the EU in the development of the CRM sector is already paving the way for unprecedented scientific and industrial opportunities. At Solvomet/SIM², we are excited to participate in this collaboration by performing high-quality industrial research.
We extend our sincere thanks to the KU Leuven and EIT RawMaterials teams for their efficient support in developing the contract, as well as to our TMK colleagues who made this milestone possible, including Timur Khikmatullaev (Special Envoy to the Chairman of the Board) and Dr. Amir Abidov (Deputy Chairman of the Board).
