ASTANA (REUTERS) - Kazakhstan on Thursday lifted a moratorium on issuing new mineral exploration licences to develop new deposits and invited investors to submit bids for rights to develop its vast mineral riches.

"The Industry and New Technologies Ministry officially announces the beginning of accepting bids from potential investors in an open tender for rights for subsoil use at a number of licence areas," the ministry said in a statement.

It did not name these areas or the timing for the auction.