Revised Law on Subsoil in Uzbekistan will take effect in February 2025. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has signed a new edition of the Law on Subsoil aimed to renew and update legislative provisions related to the possession, use, protection of mineral resources as well as disposal of mineral wealth.

Under this edition, the subsoil, including all found minerals naturally occurred in the subsoil, will remain state’s property, despite of someone’s land and water rights and are subject to rational usage protected by the government.

Uzbek legislation prohibits inheritance, sale, gifting, donation, pledge and usage of the subsoil resources as a collateral, with only one exception, an ability to transfers the rights of usage of subsoil resources in accordance with permissive procedures governed by the law.

Simplification and transparency of potential investor’s rights and obligations, as well as rationalization of licensing and permit obtaining process, including provisions governing geological data possession, ownership and sharing and those aspects governing subsoil usage rights could be one of the key factors attracting more foreign investors.