A Nazarbayev University team in Kazakhstan, led by Academician Zhumabay Bakenov and Associate Professor Nurzhan Umirov, is developing technologies to produce lithium-ion battery materials from domestic raw materials. The work is based at the university’s Institute of New Materials and Technology, with industrial and international partners.
The project focuses on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, used in electric vehicles and energy storage. The researchers will purify Kazakhstan’s iron- and phosphorus-rich resources and turn them into battery compounds. Government funding amounts to KZT 2 billion over three years, from 2026 to 2028.
Goals include a pilot facility able to produce up to 50 tonnes of battery materials a year and a working battery prototype. The team aims to reduce reliance on imports, add value to the country’s minerals and train researchers and engineers.
