Kazakhstan's PUGFN: what it is and how to check an area
What the State Subsoil Fund Management Programme means, where to find current information and how to check an area before applying. Programme, geological map and licence compared.
Updated 29 September 2026 · 5 min read
Contents
PUGFN is the State Subsoil Fund Management Programme. It sets out how the state plans to use subsoil territories. For an applicant, it is one document used to determine how an area of interest may be granted.
An entry in the programme or a colour on a map does not itself authorise exploration or mining. You need to check the current status and restrictions and obtain the appropriate right.
This guide reflects rules checked on 29 September 2026. The status of a particular area can change and needs a separate check when you apply.
Three different things
| Source | Question it helps answer |
|---|---|
| Geological map and materials | What is known about the area's geology and minerals? |
| PUGFN and EPN information | What grant regime is envisaged for the area, and what information is available now? |
| Licence or contract | What specific right has been granted to a subsoil user, and on what terms? |
For example, a gold occurrence on a map does not mean that the area is free, open to every kind of application or contains confirmed reserves.
What information does the programme contain?
Article 70 of the Code on Subsoil and Subsoil Use provides for information on state geological study territories, auction territories, territories for grant to national companies, areas for mining common minerals and other purposes set out in the Code.
The useful question is which category covers your chosen area and which right-grant procedure applies. Do not assume that solid-minerals exploration and artisanal mining follow the same regime.
1. Identify the location and purpose
Prepare the region and district, block code or boundaries. State your purpose separately: exploration, mining, artisanal mining or a preliminary geological assessment.
An ore body's name in an old report may differ from today's administrative district name. Precise checks require location data and the source material's details, not just a familiar place name.
2. Find current official information
Start with the Unified Subsoil Use Platform (EPN) and official material from the competent authority. Check the current programme, its amendments and platform information as of your inquiry date.
Record:
- the check date and source URL;
- the block code or boundaries checked;
- the territory category and related documents;
- any restrictions or overlaps found;
- questions requiring further checks.
An old map screenshot documents an earlier check; it does not confirm today's status.
3. Check restrictions and overlaps
Compare the chosen area with existing rights, its grant procedure and restrictions. Articles 25 and 26 of the Code and the special rules for the intended activity matter for particular operations.
Ask four questions:
- Does another person already hold a right to this territory?
- Does an ordinary application, auction or special regime apply?
- Are there restrictions involving land, water bodies, protected areas or existing structures?
- What consents and documents are needed for the work you intend?
A restriction missing from one map layer has not necessarily disappeared. If sources conflict, clarify the status with the competent authority rather than choosing the more convenient version.
4. Decide the next step
| Check result | Next step |
|---|---|
| Territory appears suitable for the intended application | Check the documents, current process and conditions of the relevant licence |
| Territory is subject to auction | Check the particular auction's terms and documents |
| Another person holds a current right | Check whether a lawful transaction is possible and verify the right holder's authority; do not describe the area as “free” |
| Restrictions or conflicting information appear | Clarify the status and whether work is allowed before spending on preparation |
| Geology is unclear | Review the source materials and the scale of further study first |
QAZNEDR also has guides to solid-minerals exploration licences, transfers of subsoil rights and choosing a geological map.
What changed in the PUGFN formation rules in 2026?
Order No. 236 of 15 May 2026 approved the rules for forming the programme. They describe collecting information, drafting and coordinating the programme, the role of the national geology operator and publication through the EPN. The programme is to be prepared at least once every six months.
This does not mean that every area becomes available twice a year or that its status cannot change between those dates. The formation rules and the current programme with its amendments are different documents.
The official Order record gives 20 May 2026 as the publication date. The Order enters into force ten calendar days after the first official publication; counting from that date gives 31 May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is an area in the PUGFN free? You cannot conclude that from its inclusion alone. Check its category, current rights, restrictions and applicable grant procedure.
Can work start after checking the map? No. Checking records does not replace obtaining a right or meeting work requirements.
Can I buy an area from the programme? First identify the offer: a new right, transfer of an existing right or a company transaction. Different rules apply. An online listing does not make subsoil an ordinary commodity.
Can I apply through QAZNEDR? Government applications follow the prescribed process. The team can discuss your task and the preparation needed; contacting us is not a government application.
Get help with a check
Describe your task to QAZNEDR: give the region, mineral and question. If you have a map or old description, give its title and date. Geological assessment and legal-status checks are separate parts of the work.
Sources
- Code on Subsoil and Subsoil Use: Articles 25, 26, 70 and provisions for the relevant form of subsoil use.
- PUGFN formation rules, Order No. 236: paragraphs 2–12 and 17.
- Official publication record for Order No. 236.
- Unified Subsoil Use Platform — government services.