Ariana: A mining contract for the extraction of lead and zinc in the province of Bamiyan has been signed between the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) and the Afghan Durrani Mine Extraction Company, according to a statement published by the ministry. The lead and zinc mines are in the Gandeh Kotal area of Yakawlang
The National Interest: Left with a weak economy, the Taliban have become dependent on coal mining to sustain their coffers. This bodes ill for the country’s long-term economic future. In an exclusive interview on a state-owned TV in 2022, Shahabuddin Dilawar, the acting minister of mines and petroleum, explained that Afghanistan has millions of tons
Khaama: The Afghanistan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said on Thursday that a Chinese Company, Gochin expressed its interest in investing $10 billion in Afghanistan’s lithium deposits. According to the statement, the acting minister for mine and Petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar, met with the Chinese company representatives in Kabul. Since the Taliban takeover of the country,
8am: Speculations have mounted that China will seek dominance over Afghanistan’s mineral resources, particularly its lithium, gold and other rare-earth ore deposits, following the final US withdrawal from the country in August 2021. Local sources said on Thursday, January 12, that experts from two Chinese firms have visited Ghazni province for technical studies of lithium
Khaama: The area of this contract is estimated 4500 square kilometers, scattered in the country’s three northern provinces including Saripul, Jawzjan and Faryab. In the contract, it is stated that Afghanistan’s share is 20 percent at present, and it will reach up to 75 percent in the future. Click here to read more (external link).
ANI: Pakistani agents are robbing Afghanistan of its cultural heritage by smuggling ancient idols and other artifacts from the war-torn country, reported the Afghan Diaspora Network. The smuggling is done by a global racket of smugglers who are facilitated by local Afghan officials. Major support to the crime is provided by actors working from the
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.
Ariana: [Taliban] Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said this week that 250 domestic and foreign firms have submitted their bids for the iron mine in Herat and lead mine in Ghor province. Esmatullah Burhan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said that it is evaluating the bids and will soon announce
openDemocracy: The Afghan official told openDemocracy that the country’s mines are “labour intensive, don’t use high technology and machinery and only provide risky work, without safeguards or insurance”. “But,” they added, explaining how such mines continue to find willing workers, “so many Afghans are starving, they don’t even care about their own life”. Click here
FT: As Afghanistan battles economic crisis Islamists increase exports to generate revenue with the help of child labour Dozens of men and boys, covered head to toe in coal dust, stream in and out of the mine shafts bored deep into a mountain in northern Afghanistan… Click here to read more (external link).