A miner in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan poured water over a block of jade, exposing the green stone that is part of the Taliban authorities’ push to capitalize on the country’s rich mineral resources.
Touting the return of security, the Taliban government is rushing to court local and foreign investors to exploit the country’s underground wealth and secure a crucial revenue stream, though experts warn of the risks of cutting corners.
Emeralds, rubies, marble, gold, and lithium: the resources buried across Afghanistan’s rocky landscape are estimated to be worth a trillion dollars, according to U.S. and UN assessments from 2010 and 2013.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, roughly 200 contracts — the majority with local companies — worth billions of dollars in total have been signed.
“We want Afghanistan to be self-sufficient but there are obstacles,” said Humayoun Afghan, spokesman for the Ministry of Mines. “We have no experts, no infrastructure, no knowledge.”
The Taliban authorities “will welcome anyone who wants to invest, especially those with mining experience,” he added.
Many of these contracts focus on mining exploration, a lengthy process that can yield little results, while loosely regulated extraction can leave behind environmental scars, experts caution.
Chinese state-owned company MCC is already operating at the Mes Aynak copper deposit, the world’s second-largest, located 40 kilometers from Kabul.
China has secured at least three other major mining projects, particularly in gold and copper, Afghan said.
At a mine carved out of a mountainside in Goshta in eastern Nangarhar province, jade is extracted for use in jewelry. “The majority of our nephrite goes to China,” said Habibrahman Kawal, co-owner of the mine.
Experts warn of environmental risks, especially in relation to mining waste, which could contaminate the soil.
