Ariana: The Department of Mines and Petroleum of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) [Taliban] has announced the start of chromite mining in Khost province, in the Tani district. Mohammad Sadiq Hamza, head of mines and petroleum in Khost, told the media on Sunday that work to extract chromite has started after a local company
Ariana: Chromite reserves, estimated at around 13,000 tons, have been found in Daman district of southern Kandahar province. Local officials said that exploration work is ongoing at the site of the mine. Click here to read more (external link).
LA Times: Jawed Noorani, an Afghan mining expert, estimated that the Taliban was collecting more than $1 billion a year in taxes on minerals. Mansfield said the regime has also doubled coal exports to Pakistan this year compared with the year before, taking advantage of a spike in prices because of the war in Ukraine.
occrp.org: In late 2019, SOS International (SOSi), a Virginia-based company with links to the U.S. military and intelligence apparati, obtained exclusive access to various mines across Afghanistan. As part of the deal, Ghani’s family got a little something on the side. Click here to read more (external link).