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Mining and Mineral Resources in Afghanistan. Mir Sediq Minister of Mines and Industries Mines and Money, London, November 2005. Outline of talk. Introduction to Afghanistan Past mining/exploration activities Afghanistan’s mineral potential Copper Gold Precious stones
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Mining and Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mir Sediq Minister of Mines and Industries Mines and Money, London, November 2005
Outline of talk • Introduction to Afghanistan • Past mining/exploration activities • Afghanistan’s mineral potential • Copper • Gold • Precious stones • The Aynak copper deposit • Mining legislation • Summary
Introduction to Afghanistan • Turbulent recent history • Since the fall of the Taleban in 2001: • Hamid Karzai elected • President • Peaceful elections in • 2004 and 2005 • Return to stability
Past mining and exploration • World famous for Lapis Lazuli and gem quality emeralds • Detailed mapping and exploration from mid 19th century • Afghanistan Geological Survey established 1955 • German, Italian, French and Soviet involvement from 1955 • Detailed exploration work during Soviet occupation from 1979-89 • Little work carried out since Soviet withdrawal • Many survey records destroyed during war but many also saved, including drill-logs, maps, mineral occurrencedata
Copper • Aynak is a world-class copper deposit waiting to be exploited • It is an example of a sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposit with similarities to the Zambian Copper Belt • Other copper deposits in the area include Darband and Jawkhar
Aynak • Extensive and detailed exploration by Soviet geologists between1974-76 and 1978-89 including: • >150 boreholes • 70 trenches • 9 adits • Surface geological and geophysical surveying • Soviet “drill-indicated” resource estimate of 240 Mt @ 2.3 % Cu
Mining Legislation Minerals Law of Afghanistan, 2005 • Ministry of Mines and Industries is responsible for the administration and implementation of this law • A Mining Cadastre Office will be responsible for applications for mineral rights, collecting surface right fees and maintaining a registry of mineral rights using a modern database and GIS
Summary • Afghanistan has a stable government favourable to mining development • Known world-class deposits e.g. Aynak • Excellent geological potential for further discoveries • New mining legislation to ensure open and transparent governance • Few environmental problems For further information and advice speak to me after the event
Contacts Secretariat for the Ministry of Mines and Industries, Kabul, Afghanistan Tel: +93 (0) 70 269 772 & 70 085 364 E-mail: mmiafg@hotmail.com Afghanistan Project Manager, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 115 936 3493 E-mail: afghanistan@bgs.ac.uk