Even during the time of the Kokand Khanate, the wealth of the subsoil of Kyrgyzstan was well known. Local coal, limestone, iron ores, etc., were extracted. However, more accurate information about the mineral resources of Kyrgyzstan emerged during the colonial period. In the early 1890s, intensive exploration and development of coal and oil deposits began in southern Kyrgyzstan. Since 1898, coal seams were being developed in Kyzyl-Kiya — the birthplace of the mining industry in Kyrgyzstan. Coal and oil deposits were discovered in other regions as well, and their gradual development began. At the same time, the lack of significant productive forces, harsh working conditions, and meager wages hindered the broad development of this sector.
From the 1890s, Turkestan, with its rich raw material and human resources, began to attract significant interest from Russian and international capital as an investment destination. However, the penetration of foreign capital into the economy of Kyrgyzstan was prohibited by Russia. Several petitions for the acquisition of land plots for the construction of industrial facilities and for the development of subsoil resources during the 1890s were rejected. Nevertheless, some companies, with the help of local authorities, managed to establish themselves in Turkestan. The "Anonymous Society of Turkestan Industry 'Nazarov and Co.'," established in Belgium in 1900, received permission from the Ministry of Finance to establish and operate a copper smelting plant in the Turkestan region, as well as to conduct exploration and development of gold mines, copper, iron ore, coal, and other mineral deposits. The authorized capital of the society was set at 1.5 million francs, divided into 3,000 shares of 500 francs each.
In the early 20th century, significant deposits of minerals and oil were discovered in the region, especially in the Fergana Valley, which were located on lands occupied by arable fields and housing. Due to the lack of appropriate legislation on the expropriation of populated areas where these deposits were found, their development was complicated. The Ministry of Trade and Industry initiated a petition for a legislative solution to THIS issue, BUT without success.
