The incident occurred on the morning of May 5, when a dust collection unit exploded inside one of the plant’s workshops, triggering a fire and the partial collapse of structures. Two employees died at the scene, while another later died in hospital from his injuries. Five more were injured.

“We are now determining the exact cause and who is responsible: whether it was non-compliance with safety regulations, failure to properly instruct workers on safety procedures, a technological malfunction at the enterprise, or a failure to replace outdated equipment,” First Vice Minister of Labor Yerbol Tuyaqbayev said during a briefing in the Senate.

“We will determine the cause, and believe me, responsibility will follow,” he added.

The Kazzinc plant, 70 per cent owned by Anglo-Swiss Commodity giant Glencore, has been operating at reduced capacity since the incident. Last year, Kazzinc produced over 200,000 tonnes of zinc, and more than 500,000 troy ounces of gold.

According to the vice minister, large industrial enterprises employing between 5,000 and 10,000 workers in Kazakhstan are classified as high-risk facilities and undergo annual preventive inspections.

Tuyaqbayev noted that Kazzinc has previously undergone annual inspections and “the company complied with all orders on time. No fines were imposed.”

During the same briefing, the official also commented on the impact of artificial intelligence on Kazakhstan’s labor market.

According to estimates by Kazakhstan’s Center for Labor Resources Development, the introduction of AI technologies could eliminate between 300,000 and 400,000 jobs over the next decade.

“This primarily concerns secondary support personnel, such as accountants and lawyers, areas where direct human involvement is not always required,” he said.

Tuyaqbayev added that the Labor Ministry is already implementing professional retraining programs. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 186,000 people have completed retraining courses.

Around 112,000 vacancies are currently registered on Kazakhstan’s Enbek electronic employment platform.

The Times of Central Asia previously reported that, according to the Center for Labor Resources Development, artificial intelligence could directly or indirectly affect around 4 million jobs in Kazakhstan over the next decade.