1. Background
Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable (SATREPS) is a science and technology diplomacy initiative that promotes international joint research using advanced science and technology from Japan in partnership with Kazakh Agency for International Development (KazAID) Official Development Assistance (ODA). SATREPS is a collaboration between Japan Science and Technology (JST) Agency, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) supported by the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
For FY2024, JST called for SATREPS project proposals from researchers in Japan in three research fields—Environment/Energy, Bioresources, and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. A total of 64 proposals were submitted by the close of applications on October 23rd, 2023. The screening committee, composed of external experts, then reviewed the proposals and conducted interviews, including review from an ODA perspective, and provisionally selected 10 new projects, comprising five projects collaborating with Asian researchers, three projects with African researchers, and two projects with European researchers.

2. The Hokkaido - Nazarbayev University Proposal
Among the 10 selected projects is the one submitted by Professor Yohei Kawamura of Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan and Professor Fidelis Suorineni of Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan entitled:
“Next-generation Smart Mining Plus for Sustainable Resources Development”.
This is the first time a project involving the Republic of Kazakhstan was selected, bringing the total number of countries selected for SATREPS projects to 57.

2.1 Project duration and value
The duration of the project is five (5) years starting on 1^st April 2025 to 31^st March 2030, and the total value of the grant is US$3.2million.

2.2 Project objective
The development of underground resources such as rare metals is essential to the realization of a decarbonized society. On the other hand, environmental destruction, such as carbon emissions and groundwater pollution from mining operations themselves, is a serious problem on a global scale. Kazakhstan is a natural resource-rich country with a wealth of underground resources, including rare metals, but its mining operations are causing environmental destruction. A sustainable mining development system that does not cause environmental destruction in Kazakhstan is indispensable for industrial development and improvement of the quality of life of the people. This research aims to contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society and measures against environmental destruction, which should become the norm for the global mining industry, through the construction and diffusion of a super-managed, environmentally conscious mine development system that utilizes smart mining technology and mine environment management technology, in which Japan has an advantage. The specific objectives of the project are:

1. Construction of an Environmental Monitoring System for Mines and Surrounding Areas Value
2. Construction and Implementation of a Digital Twin (Cyber Space)
3. On-Site Testing of Pollution Control and Immediate Treatment Technology, and
4. Institutional Design for "Smart Mining+" (including public awareness and understanding)

At the end of the project AltynGold PLC will serve as an example of a real sustainable, environmentally friendly model mine for Kazakhstan and central Asia to emulate.

3. Nazarbayev University Project Team
The Nazarbayev University project team led by Professor Fidelis Suorineni was identified based on the objectives of the project with participants from three Schools, namely:

1. School of Mining and Geosciences (SMG)
   1. Professor Fidelis Suorineni (Co-Applicant and Project Leader for Kazakhstan)
   2. Associate Professor Sergei Sabanov
   3. Dr George Mathews
2. School of Engineering and Digital Sciences (SEDS)
   1. Professor Huseyin Atakan Varol (Director of ISSAI)
   2. Professor Stavros Poulopoulos
3. Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP)
   1. Dr Stefanos Xenaros (Adjunct Professor)

4. Japan project team
The Japan side project team is lead by Professor Yohei Kawamura of Hokkaido University and consists of the following organizations in Japan that includes technology developers and providers, namely:

1. Hokkaido University
   1. Professor Yohei Kawamura (Co-Applicant and Project Leader for Japan)
2. Akita University
   1. Professor Tsuyoshi Adachi
   2. Mr. Daulet Sagzhanov (PhD candidate and employee of Kazakhstan Ministry of Industry and Construction)
3. Tsukuba University
   1. Professor Itaru Kitahara
4. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
   1. Professor Tetsuo Yasutaka

The project requires a physical mine in Kazakhstan and AltynGold PLC mine in Oskemen is with Mr. Talgat Irsaliyev (Managing Director) as the research collaborating partner.

5. Benefits of the Project to Nazarbayev University and Kazakhstan
The project is of enormous benefit to Nazarbayev University and Kazakhstan, and it is strongly supported by the NU management and government of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the Ministry of Industry and Construction.
Nazarbayev University will benefit from grant through equipment, faculty exchange and training graduate students and technologists:
5.1 Equipment
Under the grant NU will receive the following equipment:

1. Virtual Reality (VR) facility: A 360° Advanced Visualization and Interaction Environment (AVIE) theater – Extremely useful for academic and public relations including:
   1. Research^*
   2. Teaching^*,
   3. Training^* and
   4. Public relations (PR): NU achievements, Virtual access to places of interest in Kazakhstan including archaeological sites and culture, Space and undersea exploration.
2. Electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA)

The Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) is used for quantitative micro- analysis of various materials. This non-destructive technique has wide applications in materials engineering, mineralogy, biology, forensic analysis etc. It will add to more advance capabilities to cutting edge research equipment capacity of NU.

3. High speed camera
4. Smart sensors for surface and underground environmental monitoring, including water bodies, soil and plants.

Nazarbayev University will continue to have custody of the equipment at the AltynGold and access to data for research purposes at the end of the project. The necessary documentations including and MOU and NDA with AltynGold PLC are under preparation.

5.2 Personnel training
The grant includes faculty, graduate and students and staff training in the two countries in an exchange program depending on need.
Acknowledgements
The project teams acknowledge the support of JST, JICA, The Ministry of Industry and Construction, AltynGold PLC and the Management of both Hokkaido University and Nazarbayev University for their strong support of the project.