MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN

2021 momp.gov.af1 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 7

GOLD 8

COPPER 15

PORPHYRY CU-MO-AU 22

CHROMITE 25

IRON ORES 28

LEAD & ZINC 36

MAGNESITE/TALC 42

FLUORSPAR 48

GEMSTONES 52

LIMESTONE/CEMENT 56

DIMENSION STONE 58

MARBLES 62

TENDERING PROCESS 68

REFERENCES 71

Shah Foladi Geology Park, Bamyan — Photo Credit: Dr. Hassan Malestani

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Copyright Statement All queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to the Public Relations Directorate, Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Abdulhaq Square, Kabul, Afghanistan. Mining Sector Compiled by Roadmap Hussaindad Shafai Abdullah Asifi Qasim Akbar + Designed by REFORM STRATEGY Rohola Rezaei EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

2019 momp.gov.af Cover photograph Mountain patterns in Afghanistan Photo Credit: Michael Foley/Flickr

© 2021 Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan All rights reserved 4 5 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN

INTRODUCTION

Afghanistan is endowed with abundant natural resources that remain largely untapped. The country has world-class deposits of iron ore, copper, gold, rare-earth minerals, and a host of other natural resources. Similarly, the presence of petroleum resources has long been known in Afghanistan but these resources were exploited only to a limited extent.

Bulk metals, such as iron ore, copper, aluminum, tin, lead and zinc, are located in multiple areas of the country. And, gemstones, rare-earth metals, sulfur, talc, gypsum and chromite, are predominant across Central Afghanistan, Baghlan, Kunduz, Logar, Khost, among other places.

Much of the petroleum resource potential of Afghanistan and all of the crude oil and natural gas reserves are in northern Afghanistan, located in parts of two petroliferous geologic basins – the Amu Darya Basin to the west and the Afghan Tajik Basin to the east.

The Government of Afghanistan sees Afghanistan’s vast mineral and hydrocarbon resources as a catalyst of long-term economic growth. Accordingly, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) designed several consequential documents, including the Mining Sector Roadmap, a new Minerals Law, and a new Hydrocarbons Law as part of its commitments to open the mining and hydrocarbon sectors for private investment.

To sustainably utilize our natural resources, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum intends to tender new large-scale mining and hydrocarbon projects. The ministry is rigorously focused on attracting domestic and foreign investors to exploit Afghanistan’s plethora of mineral and hydrocarbon resources. This document will focus on the bankable investment opportunities in the mining sector which are ready for tendering. Band-e-Amir National Park, Bamyan — Photo Credit: Dr. Hassan Malestani

6 7 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold GOLD

Orogenic Gold Deposits DEPOSIT PROFILE 1 Potential for shear-zone vein-gold Deposit Name Vekadur mineralisation exists along the major trans-crustal structural Location Badakhshan Province breaks representing remnant Deposit Style Orogenic / Metamorphic lode gold terrane collisional boundaries. Host geology Silicified and ochreous brecciated schist, diabase and keratophyre dykes in vicinity (Proterozoic) Background Soviet-Afghan teams, and have the Neo-Tethys Ocean between the Gold potential also occurs within Ore minerals Gold, arsenopyrite, galena, chalcopyrite and scheelite Gold has been worked in been largely unexplored. Indo-Pakistan and Eurasian plates Phanerozoic rocks in moderate Deposit geology Podiform orebody average 2m thick and 300m extent. Traced for 100m down dip Afghanistan from ancient times The reports of the earlier Soviet produced the Himalayan orogeny. to gently dipping fault/suture Estimated Resources 960 kg contained gold at grade of 4.1g/t Au, 46.7g/t Ag and small-scale artisanal mining exploration are now available in During this oblique collision zones related to continental is still being carried out on placer Kabul. BGS and USGS have NW-directed subduction occurred margin collisional tectonism. Information: Abdullah et al. 2008; Peters et al. 2011 gold deposits in Takhar Province. published summaries of the beneath the Tirin-Argandab zone Suture zones characterised by There are a number of other geology and re-interpreted the and a number of calc-alkaline ophiolitic remnants between prospects, which have been earlier data in the light of remote granite bodies were intruded, diverse assemblages of island evaluated by Soviet and Afghan sensed information (Peters et al., accompanied by porphyry copper- arcs, subduction complexes teams in the 1970’s and there is a 2007 and 2011). gold mineralisation of the Tethyan and continental margin clastic high probability that some of these Metallogenic Belt (TMB). Further wedges are also prospective. The could be developed into working Afghanistan has a complex geology north in Badakhshan there are a zone of late Hercynian folding mines. Improved exploration due to its position on the junction number of prospects and on the eastern end of the North methods and modern between the Indo-Pakistan and occurrences of metamorphic lode Afghan platform, in the provinces metallogenetic models, coupled Eurasian crustal plates. Its geology gold in areas of Hercynian and of Badakhshan and Takhar, are with knowledge that Afghanistan is composed of a series of terranes later Cimmerian folding. This zone prospective for shear-zone gold Figure 2. Geological map lies on a continuation of the that broke away from the main may extend southward into mineralisation, with a number of the Vekadur gold deposit. Tethyan Metallogenic Belt, have Gondwana Supercontinent before Parwan as shown in Figure 1 and of deposits identified to date, Red hatched areas are zones greatly improved the potential of colliding, with each other or, with even further to the west associated including the Vekadur Au-Ag of crushing and hydrothermal the country. Several areas of the the Eurasian Plate. Ultimately, all with folding related to the closure deposit (Figure 2 and Deposit Profile alteration in Proterozoic quartz- country have potential for new the terranes became accreted onto of Palaeo-Tethys along the Herat 1). The Vekadur gold deposit has mica (light brown and grey) deposit types, such as fine-grained the southern margin of the terrane boundary. been explored by five adits, eight and chlorite schists (pale blue) epithermal gold, not sought by the Eurasian plate. The final closure of pits, and 10 or more trenches Red outline shows gold heavy (Gugenev et al., 1967). The adits mineral anomalies (after Peters are excavated from the hanging et al., 2011). wall west of the outcrop of the vein and tunnel eastward into the mountain. There is little overburden in the hanging wall side of the vein and the deposit could be worked as an open pit. No modern exploration has been A number of other occurrences are carried out in the Badakhshan known in the Ragh District and, region since the 1960’s. like Vekadur, are found in shatter zones containing gold-bearing Other prospective districts such quartz veins with a low-sulphide as Baharak and Fayzabad as well mineral content. These features as having lode gold deposits, are common to a number of Figure 3. Afghanistan Geological Survey field also contain iron skarns some of productive cratons where several work conducted in 2010 at Furmorah gold which contain gold. The Furmorah Figure 1. Gold occurrences in Afghanistan on hundred small deposits of about prospect, Fayzabad district, including prospect pluton is surrounded by several a low-resolution Landsat image, with areas of one tonne of gold are present as evaluation and trench digging. Photographs by iron skarns, one of which grades enhanced gold and mercury potential (after structurally controlled stockworks the Afghanistan Geological Survey (Figure 3c as much as 3.3g/t Au. Peters et al., 2007). and massive veins. Peters et al., 2011).

8 9 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold Gold

Placer Gold that while being the respected enabling the resource envelope zones from ASTER and aeromagnetic Small-scale placer gold mining industry standard for terraces to be identified and the dredge anomalies. Within them two deposits, appears to have been conducted and dryish floodplains are known envelope to be calculated. The Zarkashan in the north and Kundalyan in the streams and rivers of the to systematically lose most of the appropriate method of mining in the south, have been investigated by Hindu Kush for many centuries gold when used in waterlogged would be a civil engineering detailed sampling, trenching and drilling. and continues locally today in ground such as wet floodplains. cutter-suction dredge pumping both placers and paleoplacers in This fact has been known for the overburden away to raise flat Takhar Province. Reports persist many decades in the Russian land several kilometres away ZARKASHAN of local people putting sheepskins placer gold industry. so creating a large dredge pond in mountain streams in to hold a large mineral dredge The Zarkashan area of interest surrounds Badakhshan Province to serve as Samti Gold Dredge Resource such as a Russian, Dutch or USA the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Zarkashan fleece sluices capable of catching An outstanding success was bucket-line dredge with on-board diorite, granodiorite to adamellite fine gold, reminiscent of tales of the systematic proving of a wash-plant to recover the gold. intrusion and consists of a number of the 'Golden Fleece'. resource of 30 tonnes of placer Accordingly a modified German gold and copper occurrences (Figures gold by churn drilling on the Ruhr grab dredge may be an 6 and 7). The deposit is hosted by the Soviet and Afghan geologists active floodplain of the Amu attractive alternative, having Triassic and Cretaceous sediments and undertook the first industrial- Darya near the village of Samti a reach of more than twice the is associated with garnet-vesuvianite- scale exploration for placer gold in Takhar Province. The United depth of the placer gold. Finally a diopside and with irregular zones of and made some major discoveries States Geological Survey confirms large civil cutter suction dredge diopside skarns. The mineralisation (Galchenko et al., 1972), notably the manual Soviet estimated might be considered, having the consists of chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, Samti, Nuruba, Chah-i-Ab and resource of 30 tonnes, which is merit of wide availability and chalcocite, bornite, and native gold Jar Bolshi and a large number of large by current world standards. lower cost, albeit at some peril of in the hydrothermally altered skarns. smaller occurrences (Figure 4). Nevertheless it is believed to be a losing some gold. Preliminary exploration, including rock substantial underestimate of the sampling, trenching and underground It is clear the grades and extent true magnitude of the Samti gold Discovery of Other Deposits of adits, has indicated the presence of of the placer gold has been resource. Placer Gold several ore-bearing zones of 400-600m underestimated by the Soviet There is large potential for further long and 1-15m thick, with lenticular geologists due to limitations in the The heavy gold losses of Soviet discoveries of large placer gold and nest-shaped bodies of 1.5-50m long Soviet exploration methods: churn drills was familiar to Soviet deposits on the Afghan side of and 0.5-3.8m thick. Gold mineralisation placer geologists, and indeed the Amu Darya river, as well as is traceable for 80m down dip, assaying Firstly, it is apparent the Soviet- the remains of an unused Soviet discovery of large extensions of from 0.10 to 16g/t Au. Category C1+C2 driven exploration effort was bucket drill has been identified at the Samti placer itself. Drilling resources are 7,775kg and speculative limited to areas with good water the AGS Khair Khana Engineering on wet floodplains must only be resources are 12,000 to 15,000kg of Figure 4. Geological map of northern Takhar showing supplies in order to facilitate wet Warehouse. A Soviet-Canadian done with Russian bucket drills contained gold. Copper grades vary the distribution of Neogene and Quaternary strata and washing of the placer ores by data set of more than 1,000 to ensure gold grades are reliable from 0.01 to 15%. Recent sampling by major gold placers (hatched lines). Colored circles are wash-plants such as PgSh sluices boreholes in Mongolia proved the and gold losses avoided. USGS (Peters et al., 2011) has shown that placer gold occurrences from earlier authors. (Peters et that require water cannons. gold recovery of Soviet bucket disseminated mineralisation is extensive al., 2011). Accordingly, less than 10% of drills to be close to 100%, while Copper-Gold Porphyry Deposits within a large contact aureole zone and Afghanistan was explored for Soviet churn drills usually lost The Soviet-Afghan teams holds potential for large, medium to low placer gold. Indeed, no evidence more than 65% of the gold in the identified a number of Cu-Au grade ore bodies that are amenable to has been found of drywashers same wet ground (Grayson 2014). prospects and occurrences in the bulk mining and ore processing methods, having been used for prospecting Applying the correction factor to Tirin-Argandab zone which forms during this period of prevailing high for placer gold in Afghanistan. the Samti churn drilling indicates part of the Tethyan Metallogenic copper and gold price. DEPOSIT PROFILE 2 This is being remedied in 2014 that the actual gold resource is Belt (Figure 1) of world-class A number of other prospects, such as with the introduction of USA likely to be in the region of 100 porphyry copper-gold deposits, Zardak, Dynamite, Choh-i-Surkh and Sufi Deposit Name Zarkashan drywashers by the USAID MIDAS tonnes, with an in-the-ground which stretches from Europe, Kademi, around the Zarkashan intrusive Location Ghazni Province project, and making by the value of about 4 billion USD, which through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, are also highly prospective for porphyry Deposit Style Porphyry Cu-Au and related Skarn Ministry of small recirculating would rank Samti among the Afghanistan, Tibet and into SE copper gold deposits and worthy of Host geology Late Triassic dolomites in the contact zones of the Zarkashan gabbro, monzonite sluices based on a USA design largest gold dredge projects in the Asia. The prospective tracts have further investigation. Peters et al., and syenite intrusion that requires minimal water. world. A limited programme of been identified by a distinctive (2007) predicted that in the Zarkashan- Ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite and gold repeat drilling by a Russian bucket group of Cretaceous-Paleocene Kundalyan tract there is a high probability Deposit geology Skarns occur in pockets or as sheetlike deposits. Several ore-bearing zones occur Secondly, the Soviet drillers used drill would suffice to confirm the intrusive rocks that are spatially (50%) of one porphyry copper-gold 400– 600m long and 11–75m wide. The richest gold is found in phlogopite skarns numerous placer drilling rigs of a appropriate correction factor to related to the known Cu skarn deposit and a 10% probability of two Estimated single type—Soviet churn drills— be applied to the gold grade, so deposits and prospects, alteration deposits. Resources 7.7t Gold contained in C1 and C2 categories

10 11 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold Gold

Figure 5. Placer gold stained siliceous skarn and A deposit consisting porphyroblastic marble also are of alluvial sand and common in the mineralised zone. conglomerate of the Panj Despite the extensive trenching River. and the boreholes in the main zone there seems to have been intrusive intruding little exploration of colluvium Precambrian, covered areas to west and east. Cambrian, and Several copper and copper- Carboniferous gold and gold prospects and limestone. occurrences are present The skarn peripheral to or away from the zone contains main Kundalyan copper-gold brecciated, skarn deposit. Prospects generally KUNDALYAN stromatolitic limestone and cluster near and around the contains large areas of layered Kundalyan group of deposits in The Kundalyan copper-gold calc-silicate rock related to skarn these areas: Kaptarghor, Shela-i- skarn deposit is localized along formation and metasomatic Surkh, Baghawan-Garangh, Kunar a 400-metre long, 1.5km wide kaolin-carbonate rock. Malachite- and Chasu-Ghumbad. Further wide inlier that consists of altered details can be found in Peters et limestone, chert, and skarn (Peters al., (2011). et al., 2011 after Soviet authors). Figure 6. Three-dimensional view of the The chief minerals in the skarn Zarkashan copper and gold area of interest Hot-spring epithermal gold are pyroxene, garnet, amphibole, showing hyperspectral anomalies surrounding deposits have not been phlogopite, and magnetite. the Zarkashan intrusive (white outline). The positively identified but there Mineralisation is present both in blue and purple zones represent alteration are indications that they may be skarn and chert. There are 13 ore zones with goethite and jarosite. These present in the epithermal mercury bodies along the Kundalyan Fault alteration zones are coincident with anomalous zone of central Afghanistan and Zone (Figure 8A) that are from gold areas from earlier Soviet sampling (Peters Katawaz basin (Figure 1). 2.65 to 12.3m thick and from 36 et al., 2011). B to 175m long, containing 0.62- 1.2% Cu and 0.5-2.0g/t Au. The mineralisation is predominately chalcopyrite and pyrite and more seldom sphalerite, gray copper Figure 7. Geological map of the Zarkashan area showing the mineralised areas (bedrock gold ore, and enargite. The Category anomalies in red) surrounding the Zarkashan pluton (lighter shades of red). (Peters et al., 2011). C1+C2 reserves in the Soviet classification system, are 13,600 t of contained copper and 1.1t gold at grades of 1.07% Cu and 0.9g/t Au. The Kundalyan copper- Epithermal Gold of a very large low-temperature gold skarn deposit area was In central Afghanistan in the hydrothermal system. Elsewhere explored by a series of trenches, Kharnak-Kanjar area, (Figure in the world, such systems host adits, and drill holes. Data were 9) disseminations and veinlets significant gold resources and presented on cross sections of cinnabar accompanied by are the focus of major exploration (Figure 8B) for about 5 km of strike carbonate, dickite and silica investment (Peters et al., 2007, Figure 8. (A) Geological map of the Kundalyan length along a NNW-trending alteration and lesser pyrite, 2011). In the Katawaz basin area showing the ore zone (black), skarn zone that is exposed in a valley. chalcopyrite and arsenic minerals Abdullah et al. (2008) observed (orange), kaolin-carbonate rock (grey), altered The Kundalyan copper-gold are found in early Cretaceous telethermal (epithermal) lead, zinc, granitoids (pale blue), granodiorite (green) deposit has been explored where calcareous rocks intruded by mercury and gold mineralisation and colluvium (pale yellow). (B) Illustrative a northwest-striking stream has Eocene to Oligocene porphyry belonging to the orogenic (Miocene) cross section through boreholes 2 and 7 at eroded through colluvial cover diorite dykes and volcanics. The stage of the basin's evolution. Kundalyan (key as above). and exposed a granodioritic features indicate the presence

12 13 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Gold COPPER

KATAWAZ GOLD DEPOSIT PROFILE 3 Deposit Name Kundalyan The Katawaz gold area of interest Location Zabul Province (AOI) lies along the northwestern Deposit Style margin of the Katawaz Basin in Cu-Mo-Au-Ag skarn eastern Afghanistan. Although no Host geology Proterozoic and Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and cherts known mineral occurrences or Ore minerals Chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite,sphalerite, molybdenite, chalcocite, bornite, deposits are present in the AOI, covellite, native Cu, malachite Introduction Recent geological fieldwork by the Himalayan orogeny. During this geologic and remote-sensing data Deposit geology Three deposits up to 155m long and 2.59–3.89 m thick. Mineralization restricted to hema- Copper is an essential commodity Afghanistan Geological Survey oblique collision, NW directed suggest that the environment is tite-kaolin-quartz and meta-carbonates in today’s digital and electronic aided by international advisors subduction occurred beneath the conducive to the occurrence of Estimated Resources C1+C2 resources 13600t Cu @ 1.07% Cu; 1.1t Au, @ 0.9 g/t Au; 127.3t Mo @ 0.13% Mo age and in recent years has seen a has improved the knowledge of Tirin-Argandab zone and calc- epithermal gold deposits. The dramatic increase in its value. these deposits and made the alkaline granite bodies were Katawaz AOI encompasses 1 of the Katawaz gold AOI where system may have been active Increased demand from the information available to the global intruded, accompanied by more than 19 geochemical halo phyllic and argillic alteration either during or after the rapidly growing developing mining industry. porphyry copper mineralization. zones in the Katawaz Basin area zones are spatially associated development of the basin. economies of Asia has led to a rise The exotic terrane of the Kabul that are anomalous in mercury, with Miocene plutons and Because there are no known in mineral exploration and the Geology of Afghanistan Block brought with it sedimentary tungsten, gold and (or) lead. stocks. In addition, base-metal mineral deposits within the opening of new mines in adjacent Afghanistan has a complex copper deposits like Aynak. Studies of Advanced Spaceborne mineralization is present along Katawaz gold AOI and because regions. Afghanistan is well placed geology due to junction position Thermal Emission and Reflection the eastern faulted margin of the this is a speculative AOI, the to meet this demand and the between the Indo-Australasian Copper Deposits Radiometer (ASTER) imagery Katawaz Basin. The presence area requires ground visits, Aynak copper deposit, one of the and Eurasian plates. Its geology is There are around 300 documented have identified linear phyllic of geochemical anomalies of field mapping, and sampling to largest in Asia, is currently being composed of a series of small copper deposits, occurrences and and argillic alteration zones mercury and hydrothermal zones authenticate remotely-sensed developed by a Chinese company. terranes that broke away from the showings in Afghanistan (Abdullah on Cenozoic sedimentary and in the Katawaz Basin suggests indications of mineralization. The country has a wealth of other main Gondwana supercontinent and Chmyriov, 2008). A variety of volcanic rocks within the AOI. that a mineralizing hydrothermal copper prospects, most notably a before colliding, with each other styles of copper mineralization Mapping of the ASTER imagery number of porphyry copper or, with the Eurasian plate. occur in rocks ranging in age from in the Katawaz gold AOI has deposits along part of the Tethyan Ultimately, all terranes accreted Proterozoic to Neogene. These specifically identified illite, ferric Metallogenic Belt (TMB) and a onto the southern margin of the include sediment-hosted, skarn, iron, and clay with local calcite recently discovered volcanogenic Eurasian plate. The final closure porphyry, and vein-hosted. The and smectite along a northwest massive sulphide deposit (VMS) at of the Neo-Tethys ocean between largest and best-known copper structure that is likely a splay of Balkhab. the Indo-Australasian and discovery in Afghanistan is the the Chaman Fault zone. Airborne Eurasian plates produced the world-class Aynak stratabound magnetic data also indicate 60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E deposit hosted within Vendian-

" that small igneous bodies may "" " Cambrian quartz-biotite-dolomite " underlie or be proximal to this Balkhab " metasedimentary rocks 30km . " BADAKHSHAN altered zone. " southeast of Kabul. Soviet surveys " KUNDUZ JAWZJAN TAKHAR BALKH N in the 1970s and 1980s outlined " 0 ' N

" Ahankashan 0 ° 0 '

Evidence of hydrothermal 6 an indicated resource of 240Mt 0 3 ° FARYAB " 6 SAMANGAN 3 " mineralization occurs along BAG"H"LAN " grading 2.3% Cu. However, SARI PUL " "" " " " " " "" PARWAN NURISTAN the western margin of the BADGHIS " Afghanistan has yet to be evaluated KAPISA KUNAR LAGHMAN Katawaz Basin to the south of BAMYAN " Legend in the light of modern mineral " Shaida """K""A"B"U"L """""" "" WARDAK """"""" NANGARHAR " "" " HIRAT " " Provinces deposit models and improved LOGAR GHOR """ " " "" "" " ""

" Faults N analytical methods. From a

" "

PAKTYA Aynak 0 N

" '

" " URUZGAN KHOST " 0 0 GHAZNI " Fault, normal, buried ° ' " "

" 3 0 "" global perspective, Afghanistan is 3 ° " "" " " 3 " """ "" Porphyry Copper Deposits 3 " " " " " " " " " "" " "" "" relatively under explored and the "" " Prospective FA"RAH PAKTIKA " """ " ""ZABUL Favorable potential for further discoveries of "" " " Permissive copper and other minerals is high. Copper Mineral Occurance " Zarkashan HILMAND "" " Cu A ranking of significant known KANDAHAR " NIMROZ

Figure 9. N deposits and prospects is given Shaded relief map of Kundalyan " N 0 ' "

" 0 0 ° ' 0 0

° below. Afghanistan showing major earthquake " 3 0

3 KM faults from Boyd and others (2007) and 0 65 130 260 390 520 proximity of the Katawas gold area of 60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E interest to the Chaman Fault. Figure 1. Map of Afghanistan, showing major deposits and prospects, and permissive tracts for porphyry copper deposits (ppycu01-12) (after Peters et al., 2007).

14 15 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper Copper

Ranking of Known Cu Deposits DEPOSIT PROFILE 1 Figure 3. North Aynak Landsat TM enhanced color image. TM NORTH AYNAK 7.2m) mineralized zone within 1. Aynak Deposit Name Aynak bands 1-4-7 are shown in blue-green-red. Yellow outline is the Loy steeply dipping, albitized marble 2. Zarkashan Recent geological containing disseminated bornite, Status Tendered Khwar Formation that hosts copper deposits. Spectral analyses of 3. Kundalyan ASTER and HyMap images, shows that the distinctive tan-colored mapping of the chalcopyrite, chalcocite and minor Location Logar Province 4. Balkhab outcrops within the Loy Khwar Formation are dolomite members, North Aynak area malachite. Limited exploration Deposit Style 5. Shaida Stratiform Cu, metasediment-hosted which host the Aynak copper deposit further south. (Bohannon, 2010) conducted at this site included 6. North Aynak Host geology Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and volcanics and interpretation 1:2,000-scale geological mapping, 7. Ahankashan Ore minerals Bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, native Cu, malachite, covellite, tenorite of high quality trenching, and geochemical 8. Darrah-i-Alansang remote sensed data sampling, and resulted in the Deposit geology Deposit divided into Central and Western areas. Mineralisation traced for 2km, up to 1km wide and 9. Gologha 60-210m thick to max depth of 1000m (Peters et al., 2011 and calculation of a potential resource Metal content Drill-indicated reserves >240Mt @ 2.3% Cu Department of Defense, containing 42,100 tonnes of 2011) have improved copper at an average grade of the potential of 1.04% Cu (Kutkin and Gusev, 1977). this area and the Sediment-Hosted Stratiform latter estimate that Copper Deposits more than half of Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide the copper deposit AYNAK could lie outside of BALKHAB the MCC area. One Sediment-hosted stratiform example of a known This poorly described occurrence copper (SHSC) deposits are a large occurrence in North has been reinvestigated by and diverse group that includes Aynak is described AGS and mapped using remote some of the richest and largest below. The Katasang sensing data (Peters et al., 2011). copper deposits in the world. occurrence is an The Balkhab copper volcanogenic The largest and best-known 800m long, 3.6 to massive sulfide (VMS) prospect copper deposit in Afghanistan 13.8m thick (average lies within the Balkhab copper is the SHSC type Aynak deposit The resource was measured at located in the Kabul Block 30 km 240Mt @ 2.3% Cu. Recently the southeast of Kabul (Deposit Profile contractor MJAM exploration has 1). The deposit is of Vendian- doubled the stated resource from Lower Cambrian age and is 5.5Mt to 11.1Mt-contained Cu. divided into two areas, Central Aynak and Western Aynak. The Aynak Copper project was Mineralization is characterized by awarded in May 2008 to two stratabound disseminated bornite Chinese state-owned companies, and chalcopyrite in dolomite the China Metallurgical Group marble and quartz-biotite Corporation (MCC) and the Jiangxi dolomite schists of the Loy Khwar Copper Company Limited. The Formation. The deposit is thought consortium later called itself to have formed by circulating MCC-JCL Aynak Minerals (MJAM) to hypersaline solutions leaching formally operate the project. metals from underlying volcanic rocks (BGS, 2005). As per the Aynak 2014 Feasibility report, mineral resource The Aynak Copper Deposit is a statement, resulting in the value of well-explored resource, defined the deposit being doubled: by extensive geological data and • MJAM 662Mt @ 1.67% Cu preliminary feasibility study containing 11.1Mt Cu work prepared by the Russian • RUSSIAN STUDIES 240Mt @ authorities and later on by MCC. 2.3% Cu containing 5.5Mt Cu The deposit has known to be truly Figure 4. Anomalous zones (1-7) determined from Landsat TM alteration patterns in the Balkhab "world class," being regarded copper area (Peters et al., 2011). as the second-largest known, unmined deposit in the world Figure 2. Geological sketch map and sections of the Aynak copper deposit. The deposit is hosted and of exceptionally high grade. by the Loy Khwar formation shown in blue (BGS 2005).

16 17 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper Copper

DEPOSIT PROFILE 2 DEPOSIT PROFILE 3 Deposit Name Balkhab Deposit Name Zarkashan Location Sari-i-Pul Province Location Ghazni Province Deposit Style Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Deposit Style Porphyry Cu-Au and related Skarn Host geology Ordovician schist and phyllite with bimodal felsic volcanics Host geology Late Triassic dolomites in the contact zones of the Zarkashan gabbro, monzonite and syenite intrusion Ore minerals Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, bornite, galena, malachite, azurite Ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite and gold Deposit Deposit geology Copper mineralisation consists of a silicified limonite-bearing zone 4 to 5m long by 300 to 400m Skarns occur in pockets or as sheetlike deposits. Several ore-bearing zones occur 400– 600m long and wide geology 11–75m wide. The richest gold is found in phlogopite skarns Figure 5. Malachite- and azurite-coated Metal content Zone grades 0.25 to 1.34% Cu but no estimate of tonnage Metal content 7.7t Gold contained in C1 and C2 categories phyllite from Balkhab copper prospect (Peters et al., 2011). alteration zones from ASTER and granodiorite to adamellite and nest-shaped bodies of 1.5- aeromagnetic anomalies. Within intrusion and consists of a 50m long and 0.5-3.8m thick. them two deposits, Zarkashan in number of gold and copper Gold mineralization is traceable area of interest and is part of an the north and Kundalyan in the occurrences (Figures 6 and 7). for 80m down dip, assaying from eroded inlier of deformed pre- south, have been investigated by The mineralization consists of 0.10 g/tonne to 16 g/tonne gold. Triassic, mainly Ordovician rocks, detailed sampling, trenching and chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, Category C1+C2 resources contain in Sar-i-Pul Province. It lies in drilling. chalcocite, bornite, and native 7,775kg Au and speculative a canyon unconformably below gold in the hydrothermally altered resources are 12 to 15 tonnes of horizontal Mesozoic sedimentary skarns. Preliminary exploration, gold. Copper grades vary from rocks (Peters et al., 2011). Copper including rock sampling, 0.01 to 15%. Recent sampling by mineralization consists of a ZARKASHAN trenching and underground adits, USGS (Peters et al., 2011) has shown silicified limonite-bearing zone The Zarkashan Area of Interest indicates the presence of several that extensive, disseminated 4,000 to 5,000m long by 300 surrounds the Late Cretaceous- ore-bearing zones 400-600m long mineralization is present in the to 400m wide of deformed and Paleocene Zarkashan diorite, and 1-15m thick, with lenticular large contact (hornfels) zones faulted rock that contains at least indicating large medium- to four areas of extensive malachite, low-grade ore bodies that are azurite, pyrite, and disseminated amenable to modern excavation chalcopyrite, bornite, and galena methods at current gold and grading from 0.25 to 1.34% Cu. copper prices.

Remote sensing studies suggest A number of other prospects, that the mineralization may such as Zardak, Dynamite, Choh- extend for over 40km (Figure 4). i-Surkh and Sufi Kademi, around the Zarkashan intrusive are also Copper Porphyry Deposits highly prospective for porphyry Soviet-Afghan teams identified coppergold deposits and worthy a number of Cu-Au prospects of further investigation. Peters and occurrences in the Tirin- et al., (2007) predicted that in the Argandab zone and Peters et Zarkashan-Kundalyan tract there al., (2007) defined this as their is a high probability (50%) of one prospective tracts ppycu05-07 porphyry copper-gold deposit and (Figure 1). The zone forms part a 10% probability of two deposits. of the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt of world-class porphyry copper- gold deposits, which stretches Figure 7. Geological map of the Zarkashan area showing from Europe, through Turkey, the mineralized areas (bedrock gold anomalies in red) Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tibet surrounding the Zarkashan pluton (lighter shades of red). and into SE Asia. The prospective (Peters et al., 2011). tracts have been identified by a distinctive group of Cretaceous- Figure 6. Three-dimensional view of the Zarkashan copper and gold area of interest showing Paleocene intrusive rocks that hyperspectral anomalies surrounding the Zarkashan intrusive (white outline). Blue and purple are spatially related to the known zones represent alteration zones with goethite and jarosite. These alteration zones are coincident Cu skarn deposits and prospects, with anomalous gold areas from earlier Soviet sampling (Peters et al., 2011).

18 19 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper Copper

DEPOSIT PROFILE 4 A Deposit Name Kundalyan Location Zabul Province Deposit Style Cu-Mo-Au-Ag skarn Host geology Proterozoic and Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and cherts

Ore minerals Chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite,sphalerite, molybdenite, chalcocite, bornite, covellite, native Cu, malachite

Deposit geology Three deposits up to 155m long and 2.59–3.89m thick. Mineralization restricted to hematite-kao- lin-quartz and meta-carbonates Metal content C1+C2 resources 13600t Cu @ 1.07% Cu; 1.1t Au, @ 0.9 g/t Au; 127.3t Mo @ 0.13% Mo

KUNDALYAN deposit has been explored where The Kundalyan copper-gold a northweststriking stream has skarn deposit is localized along eroded through colluvial cover and a 400 meter long, 1.5km wide exposed a granodioritic intrusive inlier that consists of altered intruding Precambrian, Cambrian, limestone, chert, and skarn and Carboniferous limestone. The (Peters et al., 2011 after Soviet skarn zone contains brecciated, authors). The chief minerals in stromatolitic (?) limestone and the skarn are pyroxene, garnet, contains large areas of layered amphibole, phlogopite, and calcsilicate rock related to skarn magnetite. Mineralization is formation and metasomatic present both in skarn and chert. kaolin-carbonate rock. Malachite- There are 13 orebodies along the stained siliceous skarn and Kundalyan Fault Zone (Figure 8A) porphyroblastic marble also are that are between 2.65 to 12.3m common in the mineralized zone. thick and from 36 to 175m long, Despite the extensive trenching containing 0.62-1.2% Cu and 0.5- and the boreholes in the main B SHAIDA 2.0 g/t Au. The mineralization is zone there seems to have been Figure 9. Geologic map and cross section of the Shaida assaying 0.27 to 3.02 % Cu and predominately chalcopyrite and little exploration of the colluvium and Misgaran subareas. All of these sites are within heavily Shaida and its related prospect 0.02 to 0.37 % Zn The grade was pyrite and more seldom sphalerite, covered areas to the west and east. mineralized (copper) volcanic rocks of Early Cretaceous age, Dusar lies SW of Herat in confirmed by the USGS in August gray copper ore, and enargite. as indicated by the cross-hatch pattern. (Peters et al., 2011). permissive tract ppycu09 (Figure 2010. Based on diamond drilling The Category C1+C2 reserves in Several copper and copper- 1). The Shaida subarea is classified the individual occurrences are 1 the Soviet classification system, gold and gold prospects and as a highly prospective copper to10m thick (average ~4m) and were reported as 13,600 tonnes of occurrences are present porphyry deposit. The host rocks up to 2400m long. Minerals are coppergrading 1.07% Cu and 1.1 peripheral to or away from the are early Cretaceous volcanics. pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite and tonnes of gold grading 0.9 g/t Au. main Kundalyan copper-gold The copper mineralization minor chalcopyrite in massive skarn deposit. Prospects generally coincides with a 200 to 300m wide, veinlets and disseminated ores The Kundalyan copper-gold skarn cluster near and around the strongly fractured, limonitized that assay between 0.04-1.6% Cu deposit area was explored by a Kundalan group of deposits in and kaolinitized fault zone, where (average 0.63%), between 0.09- series of trenches, adits, and drill the Kaptarghor, Shela-i-Surkh, Figure 8. (A) Geological map of the Kundalyan area six steeply dipping mineralized 7.0% Zn (average 1.3%), between holes. Data was presented on cross Baghawan-Garangh, Kunar and showing the ore zone (black), skarn (orange), kaolin- bodies and a Cu- pyrite gossan 0.01-0.5% Pb (average 0.08%), and sections (Figure 8B) for about 5km Chasu-Ghumbad areas. Further carbonate rock (grey), altered granitoids (pale blue), are present. The main zone between 0.20.03 g/t Au. Potential of strike length along a NNW- details can be found in Peters et al., granodiorite (green) and colluvium (pale yellow). (B) of mineralization, 2.6km long ore resources are estimated at 4.8 trending zone that is exposed in a (2011). Illustrative cross section through boreholes 2 and 7 at and 300 to 500m wide, consists Mt assaying 1.1% Cu and 1.2% Zn. valley. The Kundalan copper-gold Kundalyan (key as above). of secondary copper minerals

20 21 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au PORPHYRY CU-MO-AU

Location Geology intersected by series of faults The prospective area is located According to the 1:500,000 scale (Figure 2). Granodiorite stocks that about 45km northwest of the city geological map of Afghanistan host the molybdenum of Bamyan, capital of Bamyan published by the USGS in 2007 occurrences are not shown on the Province. The province also hosts and based on the original Soviet 1:500,000 geological map. the world-class Hajigak Iron ore map of 1977, the granitoids Background MOLYBDENITE IN BAMYAN Porphyry Belt. Further fieldwork deposit and abundant coal (granodiorite, granosyenite, and Based on field observations, the Globally, one of the most PROVINCE in summer and fall of 2011 resources (Figures 1, 2 and 3). quartz monzonite) that host the Saighan area has high potential important types of mineral revealed molybdenite associated The area of molybdenum porphyry copper and for the discovery of economic deposits associated with During recent fieldwork by staff of with the upper Triassic (T3) mineralization occurs molybdenum are of Upper porphyry copper, gold and subduction complexes and the Afghanistan Geological Survey granitoids, 5km to the east of the approximately 50km distance Triassic to Lower Jurassic age. The molybdenum deposits. In continental collisions are (AGS) in the southwest reaches of brecciated zone. At two locations from the juncture of Saighan River oldest sedimentary units in the addition, there are halos of heavy porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposits. the Saighan valley in Bamyan (Figure 3, points 1 and 2), with Dari Shikari River (Figure 2) area are limestones and dolomites fraction assessment that indicated Often these deposits are large in Province, local villagers told them disseminated molybdenite is along which a railroad is planned of Carboniferous and Permian age presence of bismuth, copper and resources but modest in ore grade of an exposure of soft metallic hosted in quartz-monzonite/ to be built as part of the Aynak (Figure 2). These are other metals. and they account for world mineral after a recent landslide. granodiorite stocks (Figure 4). copper development project. At unconformably overlain by production of more than 60% Upon investigation the AGS team the moment information is being Middle-Upper Triassic (T2-3) In addition to the molybdenum copper, 95% molybdenum and identified a quartz-feldspar collected for the feasibility study sandstones, siltstones and mineralization, 10km to the 20% gold. brecciated zone containing NORTHERN COPPER of the railroad project by the mudstones and Upper Cretaceous northwest of the area, there are extensive molybdenite PORPHYRY BELT developer of the Aynak copper and Paleocene (K2-P1) limestones artisanal excavation tunnels (up to Afghanistan hosts two belts highly mineralization (Figure 2). The zone deposit. The anticipated railroad and dolomites. The Middle-Upper 30m long) indicating gold mining prospective for porphyry style is at least 2 metres thick but as The northern belt is the western will connect Afghanistan with the Triassic and Cretaceous rocks in the recent past, exploiting mineralization. These belts cut much of it is concealed by thick extension of the Alborz Island Arc Central Asian Republics and major form a NE-SW trending anticline auriferous quartz veins at the site. central and SE Afghanistan landslide debris and recent occurring from Herat to Panjshir, ports on the Indian Ocean. structure in the area of passing into the Hindu Kush and sediments, the extent of it could along the Hindu Kush in molybdenum mineralization, southern Pamir (Figure 1). not be determined. This was the Afghanistan. first significant discovery of Figure 2. Location of Saighan molybdenum molybdenite in the Northern Cu and other mineral projects. SOUTHERN COPPER 60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E PORPHYRY BELT " "" " " Balkhab " The southern belt is an extension . " BADAKHSHAN " of the Zagros Island Arc. This belt " KUNDUZ JAWZJAN TAKHAR BALKH N is exposed in the Chagai Hills in " 0 ' N

" Ahankashan 0 ° 0 ' 6 Pakistan, and extends northwards 0 3 ° FARYAB " 6 SAMANGAN 3 " BAG"HL"AN " through Helmand and Khandahar SARI PUL " "" " " " " " "" PARWAN NURISTAN BADGHIS " in the south to Ghazni and Zabul KAPISA KUNAR LAGHMAN BAMYAN " Legend in central Afghanistan. " Shaida """K""A"B"U"L" """""" "" WARDAK """"""" NANGARHAR " "" " HIRAT " " Provinces Comprehensive reviews of LOGAR GHOR """ " " "" "" " """ " Faults N Afghanistan Porphyry Belts is

" "

PAKTYA Aynak 0 N

" '

" " URUZGAN KHOST " 0 0 GHAZNI " Fault, normal, buried ° ' " "

" 3 0 "" given in Kafarskiy et al. 19751 and 3 ° " "" " " 3 " """ "" Porphyry Copper Deposits 3 " " " " " " " " " "" " "" "" by Peters et al 2007. "" " Prospective FA"RAH PAKTIKA " """ " ""ZABUL Favorable "" " " Permissive Copper Mineral Occurance " Zarkashan HILMAND "" " Cu KANDAHAR " NIMROZ N Kundalyan " N 0 ' "

" 0 0 ° ' 0 0 °

" 3 0

3 KM 0 65 130 260 390 520 Figure 1. Porphyry Cu belts within Afghanistan 60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E

22 23 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au CHROMITE

Resource Estimation A preliminary estimate of molybdenum resources was made by applying outcrop dimensions (4,300m length, 300m width) and a depth of 200m (taking into account that the granite stock continues at a Background Kandahar Province associated east and south-east the complex depth of 200m) and applying an Volin (1950) evaluated ten known with Early Cretaceous ultramafic is bounded by the Altimur Fault. average concentration of 0.08% chromite bodies in the Logar rocks. Chromite grains were also To the north the Abparan Thrust Mo in the ore. ultramafic body, using surface observed in concentrates from separates the allochthonous mapping and sampling and a Kandahar Province collected ultramafic rocks from the limited programme of shallow by the Russian reconnaissance autochthonous rocks of the Kabul diamond drilling. He also surveys. Block. calculated reserve figures based Area in Block Specification in Figure 2 on the results of this drilling. The largest part of the ophiolite Hunger (1955a and b) recorded THE LOGAR OPHIOLITE comprises ultramafic rocks in Area (4,500*3) 1,350,000 m2 two further chromite localities. a sequence up to about 2,800m Depth 200 metres Siebdrat (1971) undertook further The largest and best-known thick. The basal part comprises surface mapping of the ultramafic chromite deposits in Afghanistan about 2,400m of dunite and 3 Volume 270,000,000 m rocks of the Logar Valley, and he are in the Logar Valley in the subordinate harzburgite, overlain Specific weight of MoS 10.22 grams/cm3 identified 18 chromite localities in Muhammed Agha District by a thick pyroxenite about 200m Molybdenum in ore 0.08% the Logar ophiolite (Figure 1). about 35km south of Kabul. The thick with minor intercalated Figure 3. Quartz-monzonite mass with 15% Logar ophiolite complex has an dunite at its base. This passes up Table 1. Saighan Molybdenum Resources disseminated molybdenite, Saighan. Abdullah (1980) in his ellipsoidal outcrop, elongated into a thin unit of troctolite and comprehensive review of the in a north-westerly direction, pyroxenite, passing up into a 50 m geology and mineral occurrences about 65km long and up to 45km thick gabbronorite. The chromite of Afghanistan catalogued 15 wide. The external contacts are bodies occur predominantly in areas of chromite mineralization mostly tectonic: the steep-dipping the harzburgite within small scattered throughout the country, north-south Pagman Fault forms dunite pods according to Siebdrat most in the Logar Valley, south of the western contact, while to the (Figure 1). Kabul. The other areas include Jurgati in Parwan Province, Werek in Logar Province, Sperkay and Shandal in Paktia Province. In addition, minor occurrences of chromite in eluvial deposits and of small chromite lenses in situ were reported by Abdullah in

Figure 1. Chromite occurrences in the Logar area showing the association of the chromite bodies with lenses of dunite within the harzburgite (modified after Siebdrat, 1971. Visited sites C1 and C2 are from Benham et al., 2009).

24 25 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Chromite Chromite

Resource Assessment in shallow overburden, sampling Platinum Group Element KHOST AND PAKTIA Figure 2. Geological map of the area north The chromite deposits of the by shallowercussion drilling and Potential of Logar Sperkay chromite occurrence of Kabul showing the Jurgati locality and Logar Valley (Figure 2) occur in the drilling of 27 diamond drill Benham et al. (2009) published just west of Teragharay near favorable prospective areas from Peters et al., two main groups about 10km holes with an aggregate length the only recent analyses of the border with Khost Province, (2007). apart, all bar two being on the of 975m. The diamond drilling Platinum Group Elements (PGE) consists of ten massive chromite west side of the valley. The tested three of the largest deposits in rocks of the Logar Complex. bodies are found in Eocene northern cluster is within 5km on surface and a small high grade Concentrations of PGE in the peridotite (Figure 3). north-west of Muhammad Agha. deposit, all in the northern cluster Logar chromitites are low with The chromite bodies are as much The southern cluster is close to of deposits. Volin estimated a maxima of 6.5ppb and 5.5ppb as 110m long and 1 to 10m thick. Karez-Sha-Ghazi, about 10km total resource of 181,000 tonnes, palladium. Rhodium values They assay from 43.11 to 53.48% south of Muhammad Agha. All are concentrated in three deposits are relatively high, with two Cr2O3 and from 5.57 to 7.23% Fe. within easy reach of Kabul via the (1, 2 and 5). Of this about 15% samples exceeding 10ppb. In Shandal (Shodal) chromite surfaced Kabul-Gardez road. (27,000 metric tonnes) is high grade dunites, platinum and Pd values occurrence is south west of These deposits were studied in metallurgical ore with 55.9% are generally <10ppb, although Teragharay and is about a detail by the U.S. Bureau of Mines Cr2O3 and Cr:Fe ratio of 3.5:1. one sample LGR 012 contains kilometre south of Sperkay. (USBM) in 1949-50. Volin made The remainder of the estimated the maximum reported values It consists of 34 known chromite- investigations aimed at resource contains less than 45% of 11.3ppb Pt and 9.4ppb Pd. bearing lenses ranging from 3 estimating reserves of chromite Cr2O3 and high levels of Al2O3. 92% The pyroxenite samples have to 40m in length and 0.2 to 0.4m ore of suitable quality for the of the total resource occurs in the relatively high Pt values with an thick plus thin veinlets with prevailing market conditions. three largest deposits (2, 5 and average of 13ppb, whilst they disseminated chromite. All the No exploration for additional 7), and, of these, only deposit 2 have very low Pd and Rh values. chromite-bearing lenses occur in deposits was carried out. contains high-grade ore. These observations are based on Eocene peridotite. limited data and further sampling Subsequent reassessment by would be needed to identify any The massive chromite lenses have the German Geological Mission Composition of Logar significant patterns in the data. minor olivine grains, and assay

(Siebdrat, 1971) increased Volin’s Chromite Ore 44.36% Cr2O3. Nitikin and others estimates by a significant amount, Most chromite exported from (1973) speculate that the chromite but it is unclear whether this was Afghanistan is handpicked on KABUL BLOCK NORTHERN PART resource is about 4,000 tonnes. based on any additional drilling or site. Based on 18 such samples new geophysical data. collected from sites in Logar and North-East of Kabul another Summary of the Chromite and The chromite deposits consist elsewhere in the Kabul Block, ophiolite complex was obducted PGE potential of Afghanistan of massive lenses, pods and analyses were performed by AGS onto the Kabul Block and is named irregular-shaped masses of staff supervised by GTZ using the Kohi Safi Complex after the • A large number of small dominantly massive chromitite. a Niton portable-XRF analyzer district it is found (Figure 2). The deposits have been worked at Textural variations are few with and gave a median content of Jurgati chromite occurrence surface minor development of patchy 35.56% Cr (equivalent to 52% Cr2O3) is located in Parwan province • There is a large potential ‘leopard skin’ type ores. The and a Cr/Fe ratio of 4.2 (Table about 45km N.N.E. of Kabul for the discovery of further largest deposit (No.5 of Volin) 1). The statistical distribution near the peak of Sarpokhi Ghar deposits at surface and at comprises two lenses, one 97.5m is lognormal and slightly lower within the Complex. The known deeper levels long and up to 10m wide and the than Volin reserve estimate mineralization is 20m by 30m in • The PGE potential has been other 65m long and up to 5m wide. given above, but higher than the size and found in the western part largely untested but grains

Most of the other deposits are median grade of 44% Cr2O3 for of an Eocene peridotite (Denikaev of PGE minerals have been considerably smaller. The margins minor podiform deposits given and others, 1971). discovered of the chromite bodies are by Albers (1986). • Exploration for PGE should sharp, knife-edge and generally Chromite mineralization be focussed on areas with highly irregular in form, rarely and small-scale mining was sulphide minerals Median 25th 75th planar. Immediate wallrocks Element reported in 2008 from this area are generally serpentinised and (%) Percentile Percentile by Bräutigam (pers. comm.) but show development of a close- Chromium 35.56 31.40 37.41 its areal extent is unknown. spaced planar fabric/fracturing Iron 8.45 8.18 9.68 Compared to the Logar complex, parallel to the contact with the Kohi Safi is about ¼ the size but Figure 3. Chromite localities in Khost chromitite. The USBM exploration Table 1. Median and quartile range of it has been poorly studied so province. Prospective areas from Peters et al., programme included mapping Chromium and Iron in Chromitite samples therefore the economic potential (2007) on a background of the geological map and sampling outcrops, trenching from Logar. is difficult to assess. and shaded relief.

26 27 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores IRON ORES

SYADARA IRON ORE phyllite, marble, dolomite and metavolcanic rocks with Large massive magnetite bodies interlayered sedimentary rocks. were discovered by the Within the deposit area, the beds Afghanistan Geological Survey have been deformed and are (AGS) at Syadara during the 2010 steeply dipping. Inter-beds of Geologic Outline field season and along strike of black carbonaceous slates and The well known iron ore deposits are found from the world-class Hajigak iron screes of chert were also observed western Afghanistan along the Herat fault system deposit, within a similar near the AGS camp. through central Afghanistan and north-ward to the geotectonic setting. The discovery Panjshir valley and possibly into Badakhshan (Figure of Syadara confirmed the 200km Mineralization 1). The best-known sedimentary Hajigak and Syadara long Proterozoic metamorphic Figure 2. View NE along strike showing an The Syadara iron ore body iron deposits are locating in the same belt, hosted belt as highly prospective for iron iron ore outcrop of 500m long and 50-70m consists of massive magnetite With by Neo-Proterozoic metamorphic rocks that ore, and significantly improves thick, moderately dipping at 45 degrees to the with weak specular hematite, represent the basement rocks of the Gondwanaland the overall economic outlook of NW. Elsewhere the body is 30m thick and dips pyrite and with minor to trace continent. At Syadara, the basement rocks are Hajigak. Preliminary mapping, steeply (80-85) degrees to the SE. (AGS 2010) chalcopyrite. Intense oxidation sandwich between Herat and Gagharnaw faults, sampling and ground magnetic represented by limonite (goethite- represent the final closing of the Paleotethys Ocean survey over a portion of the ore hematite) is well developed in Sample Fe% S% P% (USGS GIS, Peters et al., 2007). body was completed during the places, with trace malachite- 2010 field season by Afghanistan BD1 66.74 0.23 0.05 azurite and neotocite (proven by Geological Survey. Geological H SO test). The ore body extended BD2 2 4 work to date has indicated strata- 60.81 1.55 0.03 at both ends NE-SW, for more than bound, magnetite with weak BD7 65.33 0.33 0.05 10km along strike. The magnetite sulphide mineralization hosted body is discontinuous and has BD8 within slates, phyllite and schist. 66.8 0.87 0.18 variable thickness. The average The ore body is largely BD12 67.67 0.51 0.34 thickness of the mineralization is discontinuous, steeply dipping, between 15-30m and steeply BD15 on average 15 to 30m thick and 65.67 1.55 0.04 dipping, (70-80º) to the SW. At this trends NE-SW for more than BD6 66.83 0.23 0.05 locality, the body measures 10km along strike-length. The approximately 50 to 70m wide Table 1. thickest observed section is about Shows the results of identified dipping 45º to the NW over a 50-70m wide x 500m long and samples. distance of 500m along strike. A dips at 45º to the NW. Elsewhere depth of approximately 400m to the body is 30m thick and dips the mineralization could be steeply (80-85) degrees to the SE. SYADARA MAGNETITE ascertained, based on the highest The change in dip may reflect ORE BODY and lowest outcrop elevations folding, shallow at the hinge and (AGS 2010). steepest on the limbs. Dextral-slip Geology faulting is evident but the Iron-mineralization is mainly Structure apparent displacements are less hosted within the green-schist The magnetite body is mostly than a few tens of metres. facies, metavolcanics and undeformed, but several shear/ Based on outcrop dimensions, an phyllites. A thin dolomite fault contacts and dextral slip with inferred resource of >400Mt of sequence is in close proximity the wall rocks have been iron ore is plausible. Assay results with the magnetite (Figure 5). The observed. Several post-mineral (see Table. 1) from composite grab rocks are part of the Neo- NW-SE trending strike-slip faults, samples returned grades ranging Proterozoic metamorphics which cross-cutting the mineralization from 50-67% Fe (mean of 65% Fe) host the world-class Hajigak iron were inferred from the well- and are consistent with grades at ore deposit, located some 110km developed galleys, but only limited Hajigak. east of Syadara. The geologic map displacements are apparent (AGS (Doebrich and Whal, 2006) shows 2010). Neo-Proterozoic meta- Figure 1. Geological map of Afghanistan sedimentary host rocks, which showing location of stratabound iron ore consist of greenschist facies and occurrences within Middle to Upper Proterozoic formations.

28 29 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores Iron Ores

Geophysics and Remote HAJIGAK IRON ORE Sensing A geophysical survey was Geology carried out by the The oldest part of the succession Afghanistan Geological crops out north-west of the Survey in Syadara area of Hajigak deposits (Figure 5). It interest in 2019. This survey consists of grey silicified was carried out using limestones and dolomites Magnetic and Gravity interbedded with dark grey methods. This survey crystalline schists and light covered about 16 km2 area. coloured quartzites that display Base on the survey’s results, evidence of amphibolite grade a heavy magnetic ore belt is metamorphism. They are mapped located with the length of as the Jawkol Formation, and about 8 km starting from interpreted as Middle Proterozoic Dan-e Sirdagh village to Shahre Figure 4. Remote sensing map of Syadara in age. The Hajigak iron deposit is Exploration Naw village. As per geophysical area, Bamyan Province. Red colored area shows hosted by the Upper Proterozoic Iron occurrences were observed investigation, the estimated depth the iron oxide spots. Awband Formation that, together during initial geological mapping of magnetic ore bodies is 2 with the underlying Kab Figure 5. Simplified geological map of the of the area in the mid-thirties but kilometers (Figure 3). Landsat 8 image and the result of Formation, constitutes the Qala Hajigak area (after Kusov et al., 1965). the economic potential was not this study shows a close match Series, a sequence of metavolcanic fully recognized until a joint Recently the AGS remote sensing with the geological mapping and and metasedimentary rocks up to Afghan-Soviet project, between experts cared out an investigation geophysical identified anomalies 4,500 m thick (Figure 6). There are two main ore groups: 1963 and 1965, carried out an to identify the iron oxide in the area (Figure 4). unoxidised primary ores and extensive study which mapped reflectance using the ASTER and Mineralization semi-oxidised ores. and described the deposit in some The Hajigak deposit trends NE-SW detail (Figure 5). The regional for about 9 km and is made up of Unoxidised primary ores occur below geology was mapped at 1:50,000 16 separate ore bodies, each up to 100 m and consist of magnetite while the Hajigak deposit was 3 km in length. The deposit can be and pyrite, with up to 5% mapped at 1:10,000. Focusing on divided up into three geographical chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. the western area of the deposit, parts, the western, central and the study included detailed eastern parts. In addition to the Semi-oxidised ores extend down to prospecting, trenching, four deep large ore bodies there is a 130 m below ground surface, drill holes, a 200m long horizontal substantial area of thin fragmental consist mainly of magnetite, adit and shafts into the fragmental ore deposits in the form of four martite and hydrogoethite. There ore. For two of the main ore surficial deposits. The main are two other oxidised ore types in bodies, I and II, horizontal plans hematitic ore is medium- to the deposit: Hydrogoethite/ and vertical cross-sections were fine-grained and displays a variety hematite/semi-martite and generated allowing the ore to be of massive, banded and porous carbonate/ semi-martite, occur resource classified. Although the textures. It occurs in lenses and sporadically in small amounts. ore bodies were thought to be of sheets, within the Awband Alteration of the host rocks, which limited depth extension there is Formation. The thickness of the may be related to the mineralizing no deep drilling to confirm this. lenses indicated by drilling to be event, includes sericitisation, The detailed study focused on the up to 100 m, while the depth of silicification and carbonisation. western section of the ore body mineralisation is untested 180 m and a detailed resource estimate below surface. could only be made for a small portion of the deposit.

Figure 3. Magnetic anomaly map Syadara area of interest: The pink and red colored areas show the high magnetic intensity zones (magnetic ore bodies) and the green and blue colored areas Figure 6. Stratigraphic log of the Hajigak area. show the low magnetic intensity zones (host rocks). (after Kusov et al., 1965).

30 31 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores Iron Ores

Ore Occurrences The inferred reserves of iron Other areas ore from the deposits of this Two occurrences of hematite group have been estimated to be mineralization have been Resource Sample Ore Type Fe % JABAL-E-SERAJ hundreds of million metric tons. reported in Proterozoic rocks in Mt The mineralisation is represented However, the Noqra khana iron Herat Province in the west of Hematite, Metallogenesis Khaish 117 55.54 by large hematite lenses and ore deposit is estimated to have Afghanistan (Figure 1). At magnetite Various models have been bed-shaped bodies formed of 68 million tons and the Dara-e Chashma-i-Reg a zone of hematite suggested for the formation of Hematite, Further exploration has the ferruginous marble of Proterozoic Tol about 34 million tons of iron mineralization, 300 metres wide Kharzar magnetite, ~10 62.76 Hajigak deposit, including martite potential to upgrade current age (Figure 1), 10 to 30 metres resources. Based on the studies, and extending for 2km was metosomatic skarn, banded iron Hematite, C2 and P2 resources to A, B, thick and extended over 1km. 49 blocks and hematite mineral recorded in sandstone and Chur n/a 56.93 formation and also submarine- magnetite and C1 resources and enhance Reconnaissance mapping was appearances were determined. limestone of Proterozoic age, and exhalative. It is believed that as Hematite, the potential for iron mining at carried out by AGS in 2008 and Hematite that are as much as 30 at Bande-i-Sarakh hematite Zerak 20 56.93 the Upper Proterozoic basin magnetite Hajigak. Much more exploration, the occurrence is not considered m thick and several kilometers mineralization was observed in a evolved there was an increase in Hematite, drilling, sampling, and analysis to have economic potential long. These orebodies occur in fault zone in shattered limestone Sausang 300 n/a the volcanic input to the magnetite is needed before a full economic because of tectonic disruption of Proterozoic carbonate rocks. of Proterozoic age with an area of sediments. Synchronous with this evaluation of the deposit can be the ore bodies. Speculative iron Based on Lab analysis the 0.3km2 (Abdullah et al. 2008). volcanism Fe-bearing Table 3. Iron occurrences NE of Hajigak (from made. ore resources determined by percentages of FeO is 47,8%. Abdullah also records an hydrothermal fluids were Peters et al., 2011) earlier Afghan-Soviet teams were occurrence at Mangasak, Maydan introduced which led to Iron resources NE of Hajigak 7.2Mt (Abdullah et al. 2008). Noqra Khana Iron Ore: Noqra Province, where a zone of 50 to precipitation of iron oxides and Iron resources of Hajigak North-east of Hajigak a number of Khana iron ore is located in 100m thick and 1,200m long with sulphides in the form of large The original resource estimation occurrences of bedded iron ore Parian district of Panjshir lenses and veinlets of magnetite, sheets and lenses in oxidising by the Afghan-Soviet team in 1965 have been identified by Afghan province with a distance of 65 has been found in carbonates, at shallow water marine conditions. has been re-evaluated by Sutphin, teams and are regarded as an PANJSHIR IRON ORE km from Gulbahar and 180 km the contact between Proterozoic These fluids would have been Renaud and Drew (Chapter 7D eastward continuation of the from Kabul province. A geological gneiss and schist. In Badakhshan circulating sea water or in Peters et al., 2011) and they Hajigak mineralization along The Panjshir iron occurrences and mapping survey has been Province in NE Afghanistan, at magmatic, or a combination of have estimated that the A+B+C1 strike for approximately 20 km. and deposits are hosted by conducted for 20 km2 on the Zanif, hematite lenses, 2 to 50m both. Diagenesis and resources total 110.8 Mt and Table 3 provides details of the Proterozoic metamorphic specified mine area, and sampling thick and extending for 20 to metamorphism converted the the C2+P2 resources are 1659.1 occurrences and the hypothetical carbonate and volcanic rocks. The has been done to determine 250m, have been found in a fault iron oxides to the magnetite that Mt (Table 2). The latter category resources, but further exploration iron deposits are both hematite- presence of any other minerals zone at the contact between is found in the primary ore. Later (prognosis) resources are based on is required to assess their true magnetite, siderite-magnetite, in iron ore in the area. The Noqra marble and schist and gneiss of supergene and/or hydrothermal field mapping data and not drilled potential. Further details can and ferruginous quartzite types. Khana iron ore prospect contains Proterozoic age. The iron ore processes oxidised the ore into or sampled and would have little be found in Abdullah (2008) and The hematite-magnetite type is 45 deposits identified to date. grades 30 to 40% Fe. These hematite and goethite. basis in modern Western resource Peters et al. (2011). the most common deposit. The total is estimated, assuming occurrences extend the area of This model for the Hajigak iron classifications. Other Proterozoic Iron The deposits of the siderite- a conservative, uniform width of interest for iron ore in Proterozoic deposits resembles the Algoma hematite (ferrocarbonate) in the 50m, to contain some 68 million rocks and deserve further iron type deposit (Figure 5), which Soviet Equivalent Panjsher Valley subarea are tons with average of 47.6% Fe and exploration as part of a Ore type Mt Ore Fe % S % is hosted by volcanogenic iron- category classification thick and extensive bed-shaped a maximum of 55.91%. countrywide search for further bearing sequences mostly of A Measured or proven Oxidized ore 9.1 62.52 0.14 lenticular bodies or pods of resources. Archean or Proterozoic age, siderite-hematite that are as Tol Valley Iron Ore: The Tol Valley similar to the Awband Formation B Measured or proven Oxidized ore 19.2 62.69 0.09 much as 30 m thick and several iron ore deposit is located at Hajigak. The Algoma iron type C1 Indicated or probable Oxidized ore 65.1 62.15 0.13 kilometers long. These orebodies in Parian district of Panjshir deposits from microbanded to occur in Proterozoic carbonate province, about 60 km from the C1 Indicated or probable Primary ore 16.2 61.3 4.56 mesobanded lenticular shapes rocks, and examples are present center of province and 180 km that are less than 50 metres thick C1 Indicated or probable Fragmental ore 1.2 60.62 0.08 in the Panjsher River basin in from Kabul province. Survey and and occasionally extend for more C2 Inferred or possible All ore types 314.3 the Panjsher Valley area. The geological mapping and sampling than 10 kilometers along strike, principal constituents of the ores have yielded 54 hematite deposits similar to the Hajigak iron C2 Inferred or possible Fragmental ore 8.6 are hematite and siderite. with an average grade of 47.56% deposit. Rock types usually P2 Hypothetical resources All ore types 1,333.3 Fe and a maximum of 59.98%. associated with Algoma iron type The deposits cover an area P2 Hypothetical resources Fragmental ore 8.6 deposits are mafic to felsic of some 284,700 m2 and the submarine volcanic rocks and Total 1,769.9 resource has been estimated, over deep-water clastic and a conservative, uniform width volcanoclastic sediments. Table 2. Reserves and Resources of the Hajigak deposit (Kusov et al., 1965) 50m at 34 million tons.

32 33 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Prepared in cooperation with the SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS MAP 3152–A U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AFGHANISTAN MINISTRY OF MINES AND INDUSTRIES USGS Afghanistan Project Product No. 190

38° INDEX MAP SHOWING PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN 38°

38°

70° 74° 66°

68° 72° JAWZJAN KUNDUZ BALKH BADAKHSHAN TAKHAR 70°

64° 36° 74° 36° SAMANGAN FARYAB BAGHLAN 62° 66° SAR-E PUL NURISTAN PANJSHER

BADGHIS KAPISA PARWAN KUNAR LAGHMAN BAMYAN KABUL WARDAK HERAT GHOR NANGARHAR 34° LOGAR 34°

URUZGAN PAKTYA GHAZNI KHOST 74° 68° 70° 72° DAYKUNDI FARAH PAKTIKA ZABUL 32° 32°

68°

KANDAHAR 72° HELMAND NIMROZ 0 50 100 150 200 KILOMETERS

0 50 100 MILES 30° 30° DATA SUMMARY

66° This map shows the distribution of selected carbonates, phyllosilicates, 62° sulfates, altered minerals, and other materials derived from analysis of HyMap 64° imaging spectrometer data of Afghanistan. Using a NASA (National Aeronau- tics and Space Administration) WB-57 aircraft flown at an altitude of ~15,240 meters (m) or ~50,000 feet (ft), 218 flight lines of data were collected over 36° Afghanistan between August 22 and October 2, 2007 (Kokaly and others, 64° 2008). The grayscale background image, visible in the area of no data around 36° the country’s perimeter, is from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) (Davis, 2007). The HyMap imaging spectrometer measures 128 channels of reflected sunlight at wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 µm (Cocks and others, 1998). The HyMap data were converted to apparent surface reflectance using ACORN (Atmospheric CORrection Now) version 6lx software (developed by ImSpec LLC), then further empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements. Each flight line was georeferenced to Landsat base imagery in Universal Transverse Mercator projection (Davis, 2007). HyMap reflectance data were processed using MICA (Material Identification and Characterization Algorithm), a module of the U.S. Geological Survey 62° PRISM (Processing Routines in IDL for Spectroscopic Measurements) software (Kokaly, 2011). Subsequently, the classified HyMap results were projected to a Transverse Mercator projection and mosaicked, with 23-m pixel spacing. Using MICA, the reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap data was compared to the spectral features of reference entries in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, ice, and snow. For each pixel, MICA determined the reference material having the best matching spectrum. MICA analysis resulted in a “Not classified” determination for a pixel when comparisons with reference spectra produced no viable match (see Kokaly, 2011). This map shows the spatial distribution of minerals that have diagnostic absorption features in the shortwave infrared wavelengths. These absorption features result primarily from characteristic chemical bonds and mineralogical vibrations. A complementary map showing the distribution of iron-bearing minerals and other materials having diagnostic absorption features at visible and near-infrared wavelengths has also been created (King and others, 2011). Several criteria, including (1) the reliability of detection and discrimination of minerals using the HyMap spectrometer data, (2) the relative abundance of minerals, and (3) the importance of particular minerals to studies of Afghanistan’s natural resources, guided the selection of entries in the reference spectral library and, therefore, guided the selection of mineral classes shown on this map. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated. Minerals having similar spectral features were less easily discriminated, especially where the minerals were not particularly abundant and (or) where vegetation cover reduced the absorption strength of mineral features. Thus, some map classes include several minerals having similar spectra, for example, the “Chlorite or Epidote” class. In addition, some identified minerals were grouped to reduce the total number of classes, in order to allow the assignment of discernible map colors. Complications in reflectance calibration also affected the detection and identification of minerals. Complications arose because of (1) the large magni- tude of the imaging spectrometer dataset, which covers an area over 480,000 km2, (2) surface elevations that range from 280 to 5,642 m (920–18,510 ft), 34° and (3) a protracted data-collection period lasting 43 days. In addition, varia- 34° tions in daily weather, in solar angles, and in airborne dust levels affected reflectance calibrations. In cloud-contaminated areas, it was not possible to completely remove atmospheric effects in the conversion of the data to reflec- tance because of significant variation in water-vapor content of the atmos- phere. As a result, some differences in identified material classes exist between adjacent flight lines that differed in extent of cloud cover. Similarly, minor differences in identified material classes occur between adjacent flight lines having large differences in solar illumination angles (see Kokaly and others (2008) for flight-line data collection times and dates). On October 2, 2007, the last day of data collection, a large dust storm blanketed southern Afghanistan (see Kokaly and others, 2008). No correction for airborne dust, beyond exten- sion of the ground calibration factor, was applied to the data collected along these lines. Hatched lines identify areas where mineral identification was adversely affected by soil moisture. Material classification in these areas is less accurate due to the distortion of reflectance spectra by the strong absorption of light in the infrared wavelengths by the water in the soil. In some limited areas, the MICA analysis misidentified wet, bright soils as snow, because both are highly reflective in the visible wavelengths but are strongly absorbing at longer wave- lengths. Pixels classified initially as snow-covered for land surfaces whose elevation is lower than a threshold elevation of 3,150 m (10,334 ft) were reclassified as wet soils. EXPLANATION OF MATERIAL CLASSES The 31 classes in the list of materials represent a necessary compromise 70° between striving for the highly focused level of detail achievable in the best [Some material classes which have small areal extent calibrated flight lines, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, seeking identi- may not be visible at the publication scale of this map] fications that were reliably detected across the entire country and that occurred in large enough areas to be perceptible at a national map scale. Each class name specifies a mineral, or several minerals, whose reflectance spectra match Calcite (abundant) the HyMap data. However, minerals having slightly different chemical compo- sitions may have very similar reflectance spectra. Therefore, the material Calcite classes represented on this map should be evaluated giving consideration to the effects of mineral chemical composition on reflectance spectra. Calcite and mucovite/illite

Calcite and montmorillonite REFERENCES CITED

Carbonate (iron-bearing) Cocks, T., Jenssen, R., Stewart, A., Wilson, I., and Shields, T., 1998, The HyMap airborne hyperspectral sensor; the system, calibration and perfor- Dolomite mance, in Schaepman, M., Schläpfer, D., and Itten, K.I., eds., Proceedings of the First EARSeL Workshop on Imaging Spectroscopy, October 6–8, Dolomite and montmorillonite (calcite may be present) 1998, Zurich, Switzerland: Paris, EARSeL, p. 37–43. Davis, P.A., 2007, Landsat ETM+ false-color image mosaics of Afghanistan: Chlorite or epidote U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1029, 22 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1029/. Muscovite King, T.V.V., Kokaly, R.F., Hoefen, T.M., Dudek, K.B., and Livo, K.E., 2011, Surface materials map of Afghanistan: iron-bearing minerals and other Illite materials: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3152–B, 32° one sheet, scale 1:1,100,000. Also available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/ Kaolinite (dickite may be present) 3152/B/. 32° Kaolinite Kokaly, R.F., 2011, PRISM: Processing Routines in IDL for Spectroscopic Measurements (installation manual and user’s guide, version 1.0): U.S. Kaolinite and muscovite/clay/calcite Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1155, available at http://pubs. usgs.gov/of/2011/1155/. Montmorillonite Kokaly, R.F., King, T.V.V., and Livo, K.E., 2008, Airborne hyperspectral survey of Afghanistan 2007; flight line planning and HyMap data collection: Alunite U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1235, 14 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1235/. Alunite and kaolinite

68° Pyrophyllite (alunite may be present)

Jarosite (muscovite may be present) COLOR COMPARISON CHART

Buddingtonite Serpentine

Serpentine Calcite (abundant) Serpentine or calcite and dolomite Calcite Calcite and muscovite/illite Tremolite or talc Dry vegetation Calcite and montmorillonite Green vegetation Hydrated silica Alunite and kaolinite Hydrated silica Gypsum Alunite Buddingtonite Muscovite Jarosite Green vegetation Illite Serpentine or calcite and dolomite Dry vegetation Chlorite or epidote Dolomite Pyrophyllite Snow/ice Dolomite and montmorillonite Snow/ice Gypsum Wet soils Tremolite or talc Carbonate (iron-bearing) Water Kaolinite (dickite) Kaolinite Cloud or cloud shadow Kaolinite and muscovite/clay/calcite

Montmorillonite

OTHER SYMBOLS Not classified Not classified Wet soils

Classification affected by wet soils Water 30° Province boundary—For name of province see index map Cloud or cloud shadow

30°

66°

Base image from Landsat (Davis, 2007) Political boundaries from digital files from 62° Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af) SCALE 1: 1 100 000 Transverse Mercator projection, WGS 84 Datum; 25 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 KILOMETERS 64° scale factor 0.9996; longitude of central meridian 66°00’ E.; latitude of origin 34°00’ N. 25 0 25 50 75 100 MILES

SURFACE MATERIALS MAP OF AFGHANISTAN: CARBONATES, PHYLLOSILICATES, SULFATES, ALTERED MINERALS, AND OTHER MATERIALS By Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does Raymond F. Kokaly, Trude V.V. King, Todd M. Hoefen, Kathleen B. Dudek, and Keith E. Livo not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government 2011 Printed on recycled paper 35 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc LEAD & ZINC

shafts and galleries up to 100 m Pb-Zn Mineral Deposit Styles have been mined only at Darra-i- The following styles of lead- Nur and Dyke 41. The first modern zinc deposits are recognized in exploration was carried out by Afghanistan. Lemmon at Bibi Gauhar, which involved trenching and drilling 1. Carbonate Replacement Geological Setting gold mineralization in the centre Rod River to the Panjshir valley. (Lemmon, 1950b). Some further Deposits (CRD) and Skarns In Afghanistan eight lead and of the zone and areas of lead-zinc- In the Soviet literature these two exploration work was done in zinc deposits have been identified barium and tin mineralization on metallic zones were known as the 1965-1966 by Soviet geologists 2. Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) (Figure 1) and more than 90 the flanks, typical of subduction- Arghandab-Tirin (part of the TEMB) and the sites have been visited by other occurrences and mineral related mineralization (Coats, and the Hari Rod-Panjshir Zones German geologists. 3. Sedimentary Exhalative showings located mainly south of 2009). This Tethyan Eurasian (HRPZ). deposits (SEDEX) the Hindu Kush mountain Metallogenic Belt (TEMB) extends Another area with several old range. The deposits are situated along the length of the orogen lead workings is north of Tulak, 4. Volcanogenic Massive in Kandahar, Ghor, Paktia and from Europe into South East Asia. Exploration History Ghor Province, where hundreds Sulphide deposits (VMS) Parwan Provinces. Within Afghanistan the TEMB Ancient lead mines are known of old pits were worked until the can be recognised from Helmand from Farenjal (Ghorband valley) 1950s and Nalbandan until 1966. 5. Vein-style deposits province in the south extending where lead was mined together The most important areas are Metallogenic Framework north-eastwards through with small amounts of silver. Nalbandan and Sia Sang which The five deposits or major prospects The Tethyan orogenic zone, Kandahar to near Kabul (Figure Other ancient mining sites are were visited several times by the have been identified in Afghanistan: which stretches from Western 1). An older metallogenic zone known from other places in German Geological Mission to Darra-i-Nur, Kalai Assad, Europe through Turkey and the (Hari Rod - Panjshir HRPZ) can be southern Afghanistan, mainly Afghanistan in the 1960’s and a Nalbandan, Spira, Farenjal Himalayas to Vietnam, marks the recognised in central Afghanistan Kandahar and Herat Provinces. In large exploration programme, are described using the above former site of the Tethyan Ocean marking the former site of the nearly all cases lead was mined involving trenching, drilling, classification. Two further major and shows extensive subduction- Paleo-Tethys Ocean, which closed as galena, which was easy to exploration adits and metallurgical prospects - Shaida and Bakhud related igneous activity in the during the Cimmerian orogeny melt with the available primitive testing, was carried out between have lead and zinc associated Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The (Triassic to early Cretaceous). This methods. 1967 and 1969 (Scheer, 1969). At with primary copper and fluorite Tethyan orogenic zone is widely zone extends from Herat and Nalbandan additional sampling mineralization respectively. Figure 2. Geological Cross Section of Dyke 41, mineralized with both copper and runs eastwards along the Hari The first geological description and mapping were conducted after Khasanov, (1967). of the Farenjal deposit dates by the Soviets in 1956-1966. Old from 1838 and primitive mining mines are also known from Regjoi, Nur, Yakata Khum, Dyke 41 and continued until 1919. In the Nawad and Gawkush. Carbonate Replacement Dailanar. 1920’s some exploration and Deposits & Skarns mining work was done by the In the area of Spira several old The mineralized area is Czechs, followed by more detailed mines and exploration shafts to DARRA-I-NUR AND KALAI-ASSAD represented by carbonate rocks investigations carried out by 20 m depth were found. In 1972 The Darra-i-Nur and Kalai-Assad of Late Triassic and Jurassic ages Lemmon (1950a) and Soviet stream sediment, rock sampling lead-zinc deposits are located strongly metasomatised to skarns geologists drilled five boreholes and geophysical work was carried in Kandahar Province, Karkhez (Kalai Assad, Dailanar) or invaded between 1961 and 1965 (Khasanov, out by Soviet geologists, followed by Disrict and can be classified as by basic dykes of Oligocene age 1967). more detailed exploration in 1973. skarn or replacement deposits (Figure 2). The ore bodies in the related to contact zones of the skarn zone are lens shaped, up to Several lead-zinc deposits can be All other areas with lead- Oligocene granitic Arghandab 10m thick and explored to 100m found about 70-90km northeast zinc or polymetallic lead-zinc pluton. The Kalai-Assad deposit depth at Bibi Gauhar (Figure 3). of Kandahar (see Figure 1). These mineralization (Shaida, Talah, also known as Bibi Gauhar deposits comprise Kalai-Assad Udmanay etc.) were explored by deposit can be divided in five The largest of all dykes (Dyke 41) with the main deposit Bibi geochemical stream sediment ore areas (Bibi Gauhar, Central, ranges in thickness from 5.5 to Gauhar, Darra-i-Nur with Yakata sampling and mapping by the Southern, Western and Eastern 13m and is 950m long. The ore Khum and Dike 41, Gbarghey Afghan-Soviet team in the period area), the Darra-i-Nur deposit varies from massive ore consisting copper-lead and Bakhud between 1963 and 1979. Nearly all is located about 20km to the of sphalerite and galena (Bibi fluorspar-lead deposits. Old pits lead mineralization shows traces northeast and comprises the Gauhar) to disseminated sulphides are known at all these places, but of ancient mining. deposits/occurrences of Darra-i- with magnetite and/or copper Figure 1. Tectonic sketch of Afghanistan showing the distribution of Pb-Zn deposits.

36 37 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc Lead and Zinc

carbonates. The upper few metres Mississippi Valley Type Resources / BAKHUD Sedimentary Exhalative Grade Resources / Reserves Grade of the ore zones are mainly Tons The Bakhud carbonate-hosted Reserves Tons (SEDEX) oxidized and consist of cerussite, JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % fluorite deposit consists of a NALBANDAN AND SIA SANG JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % smithsonite and hydrozincite. The Nalbandan stratiform Bibi Gauhar number of tabular zones dipping FARENJAL Nalbandan High metal contents were found deposit is hosted by Triassic Proven Ore Reserves 26,600 30.4 7.8 5° to 20° located at the base The main Farenjal baryte deposit in Bibi Gauhar: 30.4% Zn, 7.8% Pb calcareous and clayey siliceous Probable Ore 42,800 30.4 7.8 of an angular unconformity Probable Ore 105,000 4.4 0.5 lies in Ordovician brecciated (sulphide ore) and 22.2% Zn, 9.5% sedimentary rocks. It consists Reserves between Upper Triassic dolomitic Reserves limestone and contains baryte- Pb (oxidized ore) with silver content of a 850m long by 3 to 9m thick Indicated Ore Trace limestone and Lower Jurassic Indicated Ore 315,000 4.4 0.5 bearing bodies with lead and zinc up to 178ppm. The highest zinc stratiform mineralized zone Reserves clay-marls. There are four Resources disseminated mineralization content 36.49% Zn is reported containing sphalerite, galena, and Total 86,200 discontinuous mineralized zones over an area containing 16 fine- from Yakata Khum. The metal minor boulangerite with pyrite, with 0.66-0.99% Zn and 0.17- Inferred Ore 1,300,000 1.3 0.25 grained barite lenses that are 10 Kalai Assad Area Resources content of the other areas varies chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite. The 0.34% Pb and galena contains 100 to 70 m long and 1 to 9m wide and Speculative Metal 100,000 between less than 1 to 5% lead, Sia Sang lead-zinc mineralization Resources (Zn+Pb) g/t silver (Abdullah, 1980). Taking Total 1,720,000 grade 84% baryte. The proximal 0.5 to 21% zinc and up to 1.45% is connected to sandstone lenses Dyke 41 into account the calcareous Sia Sang Pb/Zn mineralization associated copper. within Lower to Middle Jurassic fluorspar occurrences which with the baryte is 500x100x10- limestone within a 1,700m long Speculative Metal 40,000 Zn 9.6 2.4 constitute 60 to 70 volume % Potential 1,500,000 (3% Pb + 17% 20m. The occurrence of bedded Resources (Zn+Pb) 100,000 Pb According to Table 1 the and up to 7.5m thick shear zone of the ore and the total fluorite Resources Zn) baryte and proximal Pb-Zn speculative resources for the Kalai containing galena and sphalerite, Darra-i-Nur resources (B+C1+C2 categories) deposits indicates that at least in Table 2. Assad - Darra-i-Nur lead-zinc area accompanied by chalcopyrite and Inferred Ore 70,000 7.0 3.0 of about 8.8Mt, the contained Mineral resources and grades part this is a SEDEX deposit. amount to about 125,000t zinc pyrrhotite (Peters, 2007; Scheer, Resources inferred metal resources can be of the Nalbandan and Sia Sang lead-zinc and 32,000t lead with probable 1969; Wirtz, 1963). calculated: zinc 55,000t, lead mineralization. Table 1. Details of the mineral resources and reserves of 13t silver. 20,000t, and silver 2t. grades of the Kalai Assad - Darra-i-Nur Pb-Zn mineralization.

Figure 4. Section through the strait form Nalbandan lead-zinc deposit, after Scheer (1969).

Figure 3. Geological Map and Cross Section of the Bibi Gauhar Pb-Zn Deposit, after Lemmon 38 (1950b). 39 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc Lead and Zinc

Resources / number of polymetallic veins lead-zinc prospects in Afghanistan The sedimentary rock-hosted, bedded barite, such as Farenjal, because there is often a large Grade Reserves Tons and skarn copper deposits. are sedimentary, rock-hosted and MVT lead-zinc prospects within that may be of additional number of small satellite bodies It is unclear whether the related both to the southern suture the KRPZ occur in carbonate economic importance. Detailed but because of the massive, pyritic JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % mineralization is associated with a of the TEMB and the northern rocks of Jurassic-Cretaceous age. knowledge of the local geology nature of the Ore; they respond Farenjal Late Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous equivalent, the Hari Rod-Panjsher Three prospective tracts were and the importance of growth well to geophysical methods, such Potential 25000-3000 10% 7.8 quartz porphyry and Jurassic metallogenic zone (HRPZ). The delineated by (Peters, 2007) that faults in the formation of the brine as EM. Resources (Pb+ Zn) quartz keratophyre volcanic rocks TEMB has high potential for are permissive for sediment- pools, where such deposits are The carbonate-hosted lead-zinc that are intruded by Oligocene CRD and skarn deposits and the hosted lead-zinc deposits. and barite occurrences Table 3. Mineral resources and grades of the granite porphyry forming silicified exploration model used in Mexico The most promising area is present in several Farenjal lead-zinc mineralization. lenses that contain chalcopyrite and Peru (Figure 5) should be used within tract along the KRPZ Phanerozoic stratigraphic and oxide minerals or related to drive modern exploration for (Herat fault) in the central units have been interpreted to Cretaceous volcanic activity. further discoveries. parts of Ghowr Province as been remobilized from Based on a resource of 4,800,000t (Nalbandan area). Newer lower levels, and redeposited Vein-type Deposits of ore (probable resources) grading Most of the currently known models of basin dewatering, in upper sequences within 1.1% Cu, 1.3% Zn, 0.08% Pb, and deposits in Afghanistan are the importance of faulting veins, shear and stratabound SPIRA 0.3ppm Au (Abdullah, 1980) the in the skarn zone but in other to provide channels for zones (Peters, 2007). It is The Spira lead-zinc occurrence metal content is calculated as areas of the world the chimney the evolving hydrothermal possible thatthese types of is located in the faulted contact follows: 50,000 t Cu, 60,000t, Zn, and manto zones are the most fluids and the lithological deposits and occurrences between Triassic sandstone, slate, Pb and 14t Au. There are other productive, particularly when and structural traps may also be present within and limestone and Paleocene potential areas for VMS deposits the high silver content increases controlling the deposition Proterozoic sedimentary conglomerate and sandstone; and one at Balkhab with Cu and their value. The prospective of the base metal sulphides, and volcano-sedimentary the Pb/Zn occurrence is in a Zn recorded in massive sulphide tracts have been indicated are important guides to the sequences of Afghanistan. 40 to 60m-wide, brecciated, bodies hosted by Ordovician by Peters (2007) and within discovery of new deposits. However, the missing link hydrothermally altered zone metamorphic rocks. these areas detailed geological MVT deposits may be between TEMB in central/ (Nikitin, 1973). mapping to discover the extent transitional into SEDEX south/west Afghanistan of favorable carbonate lithologies deposits, such as Farenjal, and the continuation of the Resources / and alteration haloes. This zone if the fracture channel TEMB in the north/northeast Grade Reserves Tons should also be investigated for reaches the surface and of Afghanistan and the high JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % near surface, supergene-enriched the fluids do not react with metamorphic grade of the zinc carbonate and oxide deposits, carbonate rocks at lower levels. An Figure 4. Section through the strait form wall rocks generally indicate that Spira which are known in comparable origin for the deposits by escape Nalbandan lead-zinc deposit, after Scheer the erosion levels are deeper than Speculative 8,800 3.28 1.12 areas in Iran (Angouran) and China. of basinal fluids from basins of (1969). the level at which most magmatic- Metal 3,100 Triassic and Jurassic age south hydrothermal deposits are formed Reserves of the suture and their expulsion formed, are key to the discovery (Peters, 2007; Coats, 2009). during collision with the Eurasian of new orebodies. Geochemical Table 3. Mineral resources and grades of the continent and closure of Paleo- exploration can also locate Spira lead-zinc mineralization. Tethys ocean. these deposits because of their VMS Deposits Some SEDEX deposits and stratabound nature and long Future Potential occurrences are closely associated strike length. Economic VMS SHAIDA A reassessment of non-fuel with large accumulations of deposits can be difficult to locate The Shaida copper deposit mineral resources was carried has been interpreted to be out by Peters (2007) using modern either a simple vein deposits or mineral deposit models to Summary of the potential for volcanogenic massive sulfide estimate undiscovered resources Lead and Zinc in Afghanistan deposit (VMS). The deposit and to a depth of 1km beneath the nearby occurrences include a surface of the Earth. The largest - High potential for CRD and skarn deposits in the TEMB area

- Potential for MVT and SEDEX deposits in the Hari Rod-Panjshir zone

- Potential for Zn carbonate and oxide deposits in supergene zones above these prospects

40 41 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Magnesite MAGNESITE/TALC

Table 1. Sparry and medium grained crystalline magne- site, often cataclastic and recrystallized, with a small talc content magnesite (I. and II. generation) Magnesite (I. and II. generation) 97-99.5% Talc 0.3-2.5% Dolomite 0.2-1.0% parts. The northwestern unit is Geology of the Achin area In addition, the Middle Group Calcite 0.1-0.2% Metallogenetic Model composed of a large, oval-shaped The Achin deposit is located in the includes dolomitic marble The magnesite bodies are hosted magnesite body accompanied by Spinghar block, which consists bodies, 50-100 to 400-600 metres Table 2. Sparry crystalline magnesite, often with talc, by dolomitic marbles and form a several small ones. The south- of rocks of Palaeoproterozoic, thick, which contain magnesite recrys tallized, dolomitized with marked admixture of series of 1 to 120m-thick bodies eastern part consists of several, Ordovician and Silu-rian- and talc mineralisation in their fine grained within the approximately 2000 relatively small, lensoid magnesite Devonian age (Figure 1). The upper part. The group is cut Magnesite (I. and II. generation) 80-90 % Ma (Middle Palaeoproterozoic) and talc bodies, which are ca. 2000 Ma Palaeoproterozoic by Proterozoic gneiss-granite, Talc 10-15% formation of the Spinghar Introduction elongated in NW-SE direction. The complex, also called the granite, and migmatite and by Dolomite 2-4 % block. These marbles are due to The Achin magnesite deposit host rocks of the magnesite and “Lower Complex” by Lednev Proterozoic ortho-amphibolite, Calcite 0.3-0.5 % greenschist to amphibolite grade occurs in Nangarhar Province talc bodies are Proterozoic meta- (1977), is composed of three gabbro-amphibolite, and gabbro- metamorphism. The marbles at the northern foot of the east- sedimentary and metavolcanic groups. The Lower Group (Early diabase. The Upper Group (Late are considered to be an altered west trending Spinghar Range rocks, predominantly dolomitic Palaeoproterozoic) is situated Palaeoproterozoic) crops out at the Exploration sequence of stromatolites in a of mountains, 70km SE of the marble. A general study in the in the anticlinal core of the northern foot of the Spinghar The first geological observations complex mix of shallow-marine Jalalabad. The deposit is located 1970’s demonstrated the potential Spinghar block and it crops Mountains. And consists of a in the area were carried out by C.L. and non-marine, evaporitic at 34°03’N and 70°43’E about of the area and estimated out pre- dominantly in the monotonous sequence of grey, Griesbach during 1880-1892, who environments (Melezhik et 10 km south of Achin, a small resources for the Achin magnesite western part of the mountains. dark-grey to black biotite-garnet- sketched a geological map of the al., 2001). The depositional village with a population of several talc deposit to 66 million tonnes of It consists mainly of dark-grey staurolite metamorphosed schist Spinghar Range. environment is thought to be hundred. Generally, the deposit magnesite and 5.5 million tonnes to grey fine-grained limonitic with sporadic intercalation of similar to the Holocene magnesite can be divided into two distinct of talc. quartzite alternating with marble. The boundary between The magnesite and talc deposits deposit at Lake Walyungup, biotite flaser- and leaf-gneisses. the Middle and Upper Groups first became known in the 1920’s Australia coastal playa magnesite The Lower Group is overlain is marked by an angular when artisanal mining of talc in described by Coshell et al., by a thick metasedimentary discordance. In the eastern part the Achin deposit started. The (1998). In this sabkha to playa- sequence of the Middle Group of the area, Ordovician sequence Achin deposit was then known as lake environment primary (Middle Palaeoproterozoic), which of siltstone, phyllitic shale and the Tanga deposit and for a long dolomite was deposited under consists of mainly dark-grey sandstone with common lensoid, period it was not the object of evaporitic conditions, but later to grey biotite-garnet-graphite dark-grey metamorphosed serious research and prospecting. altered to magnesite, by reaction schist and schistose amphibolite limestone bodies is overlain by The Achin deposit was studied in with Mg-bearing, hypersaline with intercalations of quartzite, carbonate formation of Silurian- detail during the 1970’s by Afghan brines derived from seawater. andesite, basalt, and amphibolite Devonian age. and Soviet geologists who wrote The Achin deposit includes two bodies. Pyrrhotite occurs in a number of reports on the area. generations of magnesite. Initially minor amounts in the quartzite Mineralization These reports are documented laminated and structureless, and amphibolite bodies of this The Achin magnesite deposit is in a final report (V.V. Lednev, micritic magnesite replaced sequence. composed of stratiform lenses 1977), which is archived in the primary dolomite during early and layers (Figure 2). In addition Afghanistan Geological Survey. diagenesis before the major phase to magnesite, the deposit also The Afghan-Soviet work included of burial. Late in the diagenetic/ contains talc and dolomite. On the two adits (adit No.1 - 340m; and metamorphic history crystalline basis of summary mineralogical No.2 - 281m), 39 trenches on a and coarsely crystalline magnesite and chemical analysis there are grid of 80-120m and a surface replaced the micritic magnesite. two types of magnesite-rock: geological mapping survey (Figure 2). It is thought that the magnesite bodies were not derived by carbonation of serpentinite bodies or by deposition from ground waters derived by surface weathering of serpentinite.

Figure 1. Regional geology of Eastern Afghanistan with the location of Achin.

42 43 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Magnesite Magnesite

Future Development Soviet Length Width Height Projection Volume Resources Body The earlier exploration as Category m m m plane m2 m3 Mt described above was very detailed and comprehensive in nature. One No.1 B-I 440 136 69 30,160 4.1 9.3 main body of the Achin deposit No.1 C1-I 660 118 84 55,330 6.5 15.5 is very attractive for open-pit mining. It is situated at the north- No.1 C2-I 820 118 147 120,160 14.2 33.7 western part of the deposit, No.2 C2-I 320 21 140 44,880 1.0 2.6 dips at 60° to 75° to the south No.2 C2-II 565 44 90 50,840 2.2 5.1 and has a constant thickness of approximately 120m the south- Explanation: Bodies 1 and 2 shown on Figure 3. Total 28.0 66.2 eastern part of the Achin deposit B-I category - measured or proved; is composed of several magnesite C1-I category - indicated or probable; bodies and talc veins, which are C2-I and C2-II - inferred or possible resources. roughly Parallel to the bedding in the host dolomitic marble. Table 2. Summary of resources of the Achin deposit. (Source: Lednev, 1977) This part of the deposit is rich in talc and the magnesite bodies have irregular lensoid shapes. A number of resource calculations Components Ore Bodies Summary of the Achin Deposit were carried out to Soviet Magnesite Magnesite standards (Table 2) but these do Body 1 Body 2 - Estimated resources of 66 not easily conform to modern MgO From 40.01 40.10 million tonnes of magnesite and western resource classifications. 5.5 million tonnes of talc To 47.12 46.57

Mean 43.86 43.68 - One main magnesite body and a SiO 2 From 0.10 1.71 number of smaller lenses To 25.00 12.59 Mean 5.38 5.89 - Amenable to open pitting CaO From 0.10 0.30 To 8.10 7.51 - Convenient location for transport by road to Pakistan Mean 2.58 2.19 (30km to border at Torkham) R2O3 From 0.10 0.40 To 0.93 1.40 Mean 0.87 0.82 Insoluble From 0.97 6.64 in HCl Remaining To 37.84 14.40 Solid (Talc) Mean 8.03 9.33

Table 1. Chemical composition of the two magnesite bodies

Note: Values were calculated from selected samples with more than 40% MgO. Figure 2. Detailed geological map and cross sections of the Achin magnesite deposit.

44 45 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Prepared in cooperation with the SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS MAP 3152–B U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AFGHANISTAN MINISTRY OF MINES AND INDUSTRIES USGS Afghanistan Project Product No. 191

38° INDEX MAP SHOWING PROVINCES OF AFGHANISTAN 38°

38°

70° 74° 66°

68° 72° JAWZJAN KUNDUZ BALKH BADAKHSHAN TAKHAR 70°

64° 36° 36° 74° SAMANGAN FARYAB BAGHLAN 62° SAR-E PUL NURISTAN 66° PANJSHER

BADGHIS KAPISA PARWAN KUNAR LAGHMAN BAMYAN KABUL WARDAK HERAT GHOR NANGARHAR 34° LOGAR 34°

URUZGAN PAKTYA GHAZNI KHOST 74° 68° 70° 72° DAYKUNDI FARAH PAKTIKA ZABUL 32° 32°

68°

KANDAHAR 72° HELMAND NIMROZ 0 50 100 150 200 KILOMETERS

0 50 100 MILES 30° 30°

66° 62° DATA SUMMARY 64° This map shows the distribution of selected iron-bearing minerals and other materials derived from analysis of HyMap imaging spectrometer data of Afghanistan. Using a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) 36° 64° WB-57 aircraft flown at an altitude of ~15,240 meters (m) or ~50,000 feet (ft), 218 flight lines of data were collected over Afghanistan between August 22 36° and October 2, 2007 (Kokaly and others, 2008). The grayscale background image, visible in the area of no data around the country’s perimeter, is from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) (Davis, 2007). The HyMap imaging spectrometer measures 128 channels of reflected sunlight at wavelengths between 0.4 and 2.5 µm (Cocks and others, 1998). The HyMap data were converted to apparent surface reflectance using ACORN (Atmospheric CORrection Now) version 6lx software (developed by ImSpec LLC), then further empirically adjusted using ground-based reflectance measurements. Each flight line was georeferenced to Landsat base imagery in Universal Transverse Mercator projection (Davis, 2007). HyMap reflectance data were processed using MICA (Material Identification 62° and Characterization Algorithm), a module of the U.S. Geological Survey PRISM (Processing Routines in IDL for Spectroscopic Measurements) software (Kokaly, 2011). Subsequently, the classified HyMap results were projected to a Transverse Mercator projection and mosaicked, with 23-m pixel spacing. Using MICA, the reflectance spectrum of each pixel of HyMap data was compared to the spectral features of reference entries in a spectral library of minerals, vegetation, water, ice, and snow. For each pixel, MICA determined the reference material having the best matching spectrum. MICA analysis resulted in a “Not classified” determination for a pixel when comparisons with reference spectra produced no viable match (see Kokaly, 2011). This map shows the spatial distribution of iron-bearing minerals and other materials having diagnostic absorptions at visible and near-infrared wave- lengths. These absorptions result from electronic processes in the minerals. A complementary map showing the distribution of selected carbonates, phyllosili- cates, sulfates, altered minerals, and other materials having diagnostic absorp- tions in the shortwave infrared wavelengths has also been created (Kokaly and others, 2011). Several criteria, including (1) the reliability of detection and discrimination of minerals using the HyMap spectrometer data, (2) the relative abundance of minerals, and (3) the importance of particular minerals to studies of Afghanistan’s natural resources, guided the selection of entries in the reference spectral library and, therefore, guided the selection of mineral classes shown on this map. Minerals occurring abundantly at the surface and those having unique spectral features were easily detected and discriminated. Minerals having similar spectral features were less easily discriminated, especially where the minerals were not particularly abundant and (or) where vegetation cover reduced the absorption strength of mineral features. Thus, some identified classes consist of several minerals having similar spectra, such as Fe3+, type 1, and Fe3+, type 2, in which the primary difference between them is the width of the absorption feature. In addition, some identified minerals were grouped to reduce the total number of classes, in order to allow the assignment of discern- ible map colors. Complications in reflectance calibration also affected the detection and 34° identification of minerals. Complications arose because of (1) the large magni- 34° tude of the imaging spectrometer dataset, which covers an area over 480,000 km2, (2) surface elevations that range from 280 to 5,642 m (920–18,510 ft), and (3) a protracted data-collection period lasting 43 days. In addition, varia- tions in daily weather, in solar angles, and in airborne dust levels affected reflectance calibrations. In cloud-contaminated areas, it was not possible to completely remove atmospheric effects in the conversion of the data to reflec- tance because of significant variation in water-vapor content of the atmos- phere. As a result, some differences in identified material classes exist between adjacent flight lines that differed in extent of cloud cover. Similarly, minor differences in identified material classes occur between adjacent flight lines having large differences in solar illumination angles (see Kokaly and others (2008) for flight-line data collection times and dates). On October 2, 2007, the last day of data collection, a large dust storm blanketed southern Afghanistan (see Kokaly and others, 2008). No correction for airborne dust, beyond exten- sion of the ground calibration factor, was applied to the data collected along these lines. Hatched lines identify areas where mineral identification was adversely affected by soil moisture. Material classification in these areas is less accurate due to the distortion of reflectance spectra by the strong absorption of light in the infrared wavelengths by the water in the soil. In some limited areas, the MICA analysis misidentified wet, bright soils as snow, because both are highly reflective in the visible wavelengths but are strongly absorbing at longer wave- lengths. Pixels classified initially as snow-covered for land surfaces whose 70° elevation is lower than a threshold elevation of 3,150 m (10,334 ft) were reclassified as wet soils. The 27 classes in the list of materials represent a necessary compromise between striving for the highly focused level of detail achievable in the best- calibrated flight lines, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, seeking identi- fications that were reliably detected across the entire country and that occurred in large enough areas to be perceptible at a national map scale. Each class name specifies a mineral, or several minerals, whose reflectance spectra match the HyMap data. However, minerals having slightly different chemical compo- sitions may have very similar reflectance spectra. Therefore, the material EXPLANATION OF MATERIAL CLASSES classes represented on this map should be evaluated giving consideration to the [Some material classes which have small areal extent effects of mineral chemical composition on reflectance spectra. may not be visible at the publication scale of this map]

REFERENCES CITED Hematite as thin coating Cocks, T., Jenssen, R., Stewart, A., Wilson, I., and Shields, T., 1998, The Hematite, fine-grained HyMap airborne hyperspectral sensor; the system, calibration and perfor- mance, in Schaepman, M., Schläpfer, D., and Itten, K.I., eds., Proceedings Hematite, medium-grained of the First EARSeL Workshop on Imaging Spectroscopy, October 6–8, 1998, Zurich, Switzerland: Paris, EARSeL, p. 37–43. Hematite, coarse-grained Davis, P.A., 2007, Landsat ETM+ false-color image mosaics of Afghanistan: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1029, 22 p., available at Iron hydroxide 32° http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1029/. 32° Goethite, fine-grained Kokaly, R.F., 2011, PRISM: Processing Routines in IDL for Spectroscopic Measurements (installation manual and user’s guide, version 1.0): U.S. Goethite, medium-grained Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1155, available at http://pubs. usgs.gov/of/2011/1155/. Goethite, coarse-grained Kokaly, R.F., King, T.V.V., Hoefen, T.M., Dudek, K.B., and Livo, K.E., 2011, Surface materials map of Afghanistan: carbonates, phyllosilicates, sulfates, Goethite and jarosite altered minerals, and other materials: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3152–A, one sheet, scale 1:1,100,000. Also available Jarosite at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3152/A/. Kokaly, R.F., King, T.V.V., and Livo, K.E., 2008, Airborne hyperspectral Maghemite 68° survey of Afghanistan 2007; flight line planning and HyMap data collection: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1235, 14 p., available at Ferrihydrite http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1235/. Epidote

Chlorite

Fe3+, type 1

Fe3+, type 2 COLOR COMPARISON CHART Fe2+, type 1 Ferrihydrite Fe2+, type 2 Fe3+, Type 1 2+ 3+ Fe and Fe , type 1 3+ Hematite as thin coating Fe , Type 2 2+ 3+ 2+ 3+ Fe and Fe , type 2 Hematite, fine-grained Fe and Fe , type 1 Fe2+ and Fe3+, type 2 Green vegetation Hematite, medium-grained 2+ Hematite, coarse-grained Fe , Type 2 Dry vegetation 2+ Iron hydroxide Fe , Type 1 Snow/ice Goethite, fine-grained Goethite and jarosite Maghemite Wet soils Goethite, medium-grained Goethite, coarse-grained Jarosite Water Green vegetation Epidote Cloud or cloud shadow Dry vegetation Chlorite Snow/ice OTHER SYMBOLS Not classified Not classified Wet soils

30° Classification affected by wet soils Water Cloud or cloud shadow Province boundary—For name of 30° province see index map

66°

Base image from Landsat (Davis, 2007) Political boundaries from digital files from 62° Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af) SCALE 1: 1 100 000 Transverse Mercator projection, WGS 84 Datum; 25 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 KILOMETERS scale factor 0.9996; longitude of central meridian 64° 66°00’ E.; latitude of origin 34°00’ N. 25 0 25 50 75 100 MILES

SURFACE MATERIALS MAP OF AFGHANISTAN: IRON-BEARING MINERALS AND OTHER MATERIALS By Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does Trude V.V. King, Raymond F. Kokaly, Todd M. Hoefen, Kathleen B. Dudek, and Keith E. Livo not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government 2011 Printed on recycled paper 47 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Fluorspar FLUORSPAR

Fluoraspar Potential Metallogenic Framework Exploration History BAKHUD FLUORSPAR DEPOSIT ore bodies. Four discontinuous The fluorspar potential of Afghanistan's main fluorspar Exploration for fluorspar in the mineralized zones are recognized Afghanistan has not been district is in Uruzgan Province, Uruzghan Fluorspar District was Bakhud is a stratiform, while at Bakhud: the Eastern, Western, studied in detail, but the best- and is mostly within a terrane conducted from 1969 to 1975 other fluorspar occurrences in the Northern and Southern Areas, known fluorspar districts are in known as the Helmand by Afghan and USSR geologists Uruzgan Fluorspar District are and the ore zones range between Uruzgan Province in southern Block (Figure 1) composed of (Avtonomov et al., 1975). The work Vein-Type. Bakhud ore bodies are 80 and 860m long, 10 to 200m Afghanistan. Other areas of sedimentary and igneous rocks carried out covered an area of in a fault breccia at the base of an wide and 1.1 to 2.8m thick. fluorspar potential are reported ranging in age from Precambrian nearly 500km2 and included Figure 2. Simplified geology of the Uruzgan angular unconformity between Mineralization consists of from Bamyan, Badakhshan and to Oligocene. The fluorspar ore detailed geological mapping, Fluorspar District, showing location of the Late Triassic dolomitic limestone abundant calcareous fluorspar Baglan Provinces.Local demand is hosted by Triassic-Jurassic sampling, trenching, geochemical stratiform Bakhud Fluorspar Deposit, the and overlying Late Triassic to with lead and zinc sulphide for fluorspar is negligible, but platform carbonate rocks, which surveys, the drilling of 27 boundary of the fluorspar tract, and the Middle Jurassic marl sediments of minerals, and less commonly when the large iron ore deposits overlie Precambrian and Paleozoic exploration holes, and estimation locations of the main vein-type fluorspar the Arghasu Formation. siliceus fluorspar. Alteration are developed such as Hajigak metsediments. The fluorspar ores of resources. Some metallurgical occurrences. Mineralisation consists of a consists of recrystallized dolomite and Sydara, it is expected that include both stratiform and vein- testing for fluorspar and lead was number of tabular flat-lying with silification that is restricted to an integrated iron and steel type; and both calcareous and also conducted. Later, Peters et limestones in the basal Alamghar industry will develop then this siliceous gangue is present. al. (2007) plotted a boundary for a Formation. would benefit from a local source The platform carbonate rocks fluorspar prospective tract based of metallurgical grade fluorspar. extend northeastwards from on fluorspar occurrences, geology Calcareous-type fluorspar Export potential for metallurgical Helmand towards Wardak and aeromagnetics (Figure 2). constitutes 60-70% of the ore grade fluorspar concentrate Province and host not only the and occurs in all four areas. The is considerable, and likewise fluorspar bodies but also contain dominant structures are massive for chemical grade fluorspar the Tangi stratiform lead-zinc or thinly-bedded veinlets or concentrate after processing. carbonate occurrence which is stockworks in brecciated zones. classed as Mississippi-Valley Type The calcareous-type fluorspar (MVT) mineralization. typically grades between 34 to

64%, averaging 47% CaF2. The fluorite is colourless, pale to dark violet or almost black. The mineral assemblage consists of a variable amount of fluorite in a calcarous matrix associated with sulphide minerals such as sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, tennantite and molybdenite. Gangue minerals are pyrite, barite, ankerite, dolomite and quartz. Calcareous-type fluorspar Fluorspar Style of assaying at 60.28% CaF was Latitude Longitude Host Rock 2 Deposit Mineralization processed via a flowsheet Bakhud 32°27'16.92" 65°53'57.84" Late Triassic Limestones Stratiform consisted of washing, hand sorting Chura 32°42'57.96" 65°49'09.84" Triassic Limestones Vein-type and flotation to yield 92.8% Anaghey 32°29'07.8" 65°46'00.12" Triassic Marbles Vein-type of fluorspar concentrate that Saraw I, II, III 32°28'59.16" 65°49'05.52" Late Triassic to Upper Jurassic Limestones Vein-type assayed at 97.38% CaF2, 0.92% Ganighay Figure 1. Tectonic sketch-map of Afghanistan 32°22'58.44" 65°53'14.64" Late Triassic to Upper Jurassic Limestones Vein-type CaCO3, 0.51% SiO2 and 0.008% showing the main terranes and the location of phosphorous. the Uruzgan Fluorspar District. Table 1. Summary of the characteristics of the fluorspar deposits in the Uruzgan Fluorspar District.

48 49 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Fluorspar Fluorspar

Resources / Reserves Grade Tons % of total Soviet JORC/CIM (% CaF2) B Proven Ore Reserves 3,222,600 44.8% 38.5% C1 Probable Ore Reserves 1,028,300 11.5% C2 Indicated Ore Reserves 4,441,000 48.5% 50.5% Total 8,791,900 100%

Table 2. Summary of the resources of the Bakhud fluorspar deposit.

Siliceous-type fluorspar has an Of importance is the fluorspar ore to produce standard- Metallogenesis Peters et. al. (2007) believe that average grade of 37% CaF2.and interdependence between sized lump fluorspar suitable for It is not easy to assign a mineral the fluorspar occurrences in is irregular, less abundant and artisanal miners, SME mines and iron and steel processing often deposit model to the fluorspar Uruzgan match the fluorspar restricted to flat contacts with the SME/large processors during both produces a more consistent occurrences in the Uruzgan vein model (Orris and Bliss, 1992), underlying Alamghar Formation, fluorspar mining and processing product than mechanised Province. The most important although they do not rule out mainly in the Southern Area. (Baatar and Grayson, 2009). This crushing. Long-distance haulage characteristics of the fluorspar other mineral deposit models may The siliceous-type fluorspar is seen worldwide due to the by truck is economic provided occurrences are: be applicable. As the fluorspar occurs as replacement bodies pivotal role of individual miners the sizing of lump fluorspar 1. Confined to unconformity occurrences are situated within and as cementing material in the in working narrow fluorspar veins takes account of reduction of size between Late Triassic the SW-NE trending carbonates, matrix of brecciated calcareous inaccessible by large machines, during trucking, and proper use dolomitic limestone and Late which coincide largely with fluorspar. The gangue minerals the requirement for miners to of 2-tonne big bags for trucking Triassic to Middle Jurassic MVT tracts and are associated are chalcedony, chlorite, calcite, sort and select ore to upgrade the chemical grade concentrates calcareous sediments. with Pb-Zn anomalies typical ankerite and barite. run-of-mine ore, and the need for improves handling and prevents 2. Sediments deposited in a of MVT deposits, the fluorspar Summary of potential of teams of people to hand-sort ore contamination. shallow water environment. occurrences can be tentatively Bakhud Fluorspar deposit during benefication. The large 3. Mineralisation is catalogued as Mississippi Valley requirement for unskilled to stratiform and/or vein Type (MVT) Mineralization. - Reserves (Soviet B category) of BAKHUD FLUORSPAR MINE semi-skilled employees creates type, and is massive or in 3.3Mt @ 44.8% CaF2 Amania Mining Company formed harmony with local communities veinlets, stockworks and in 2010 and was recently awarded and ensures export-grades are Figure 3. Geological map and cross-section of disseminations. - Total reserves and resources Exploitation (Mining) License for achieved. Manual dressing of the Bakhud fluorspar deposit. 4. Mineralisation is associated (category B+C1+C2) of 8.8Mt @ the Bakhud Fluorspar Deposit, and with faults, joints, breccias 46.7% CaF2 has begun mine production. The and mylonites. company employs 300 local people 5. In some places the fluorspar, - Flat-lying stratiform bodies of at the site, and has a substantial particularly the stratiform 1.1 to 2.8m drilling programme planned. (ref: mineralisation, is associated www.amania-mining.com). Potential with sulphide minerals such for Investment and Employment as sphalerite and galena. Considerable potential exists for 6. Mineralization is not expanding fluorspar production at associated with igneous the Bakhud Mine, and elsewhere activity. in the Uruzgan Fluorspar District. 7. Fluorspar associated with Pb/ As elsewhere in the world, the Zn anomalies. fluorspar ore is suitable for very shallow open-pit mining and simple processing, enabling production to commence quickly in the open landscape (Dore et al., 2006).

50 51 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gemstones GEMSTONES

Gem Resources in Afghanistan The nephrite bearing site is Gem quality crystals are up to 10 There are four main gemstone located 37 km east of Jalal Abad mm to 15mm long, 2-3mm thick, producing areas: the Panjshir city and 6 km North east of Kama and very rarely up to 50 mm long Valley producing emeralds, the district, Nangarhar province, on and 2mm wide. Estimates current Jegdalek area producing rubies the left side of Kunar valley. production are speculative, but and a range of fancy coloured Based on the studies done in the before the civil war productions and blue sapphires, Badakhshan 1967 by professor Slavine, this was said to be in the US$8-10 Figure 1. Location of major gemstone deposits producing the world-famous area is located on the tectonic million range (UNDP 2005). in Afghanistan. and most recognized of Afghan block of Jalal Abad. Rocks in this gems, lapis lazuli, and Nuristan area are consisted of sedimentary realized if better techniques were producing a wide range of such as coarse-grained sands, instituted at the mines and if all semi-precious gems such as mud, transported sands, RUBY known deposits were worked. tourmaline, kunzite, aquamarine, travertine, limestone, dolomites Ruby, known as the ‘King of Recent government initiatives spodumene and beryl. and sandstone, and igneous rocks Precious Stones’, is a precious are addressing the economic such as dunnites, peridotite, and gemstone form of corundum. issues associated with gemstone serpentinites. Rubies are mined at Jegdalek- production. NEPHRITE Based on the Afghanistan Gandamak in Kabul Province Geological Survey field where they occur in a Regulations are being developed Olly and Barchen-chen Deposit: investigation in the Proterozoic calcite- to provide the framework for The Barchen-chen nephrite 2019, 11 gem dolomite marble bed more formal exploration and deposited is located with a bearing veins 500 to 2,000m thick mining. Implementation of distance of 46 km from Asad were identified within a regionally using drills, dynamite and often these will enable the gem trade Abad, Kunar Province and 6 km in this area. metamorphosed high explosives recycled from to be legalized and this will south west of Khas Kunar district. marble cut ordnance. These techniques lead encourage greater investment The area is bordered with Ghoshta by Oligocene Afghanistan and gemstones to much waste and damage to in the mines, which in turn will and Kama districts of Nangarhar EMERALD granitic have been inextricably linked gems, and result in low yield. lead to better work practices, Province. intrusions. for 6,500 years and the country greater yields and less waste. The Based on the studies done in Emerald, remains rich in precious and Most of the gemstones mined in Government of Afghanistan is the 1967 by professor Slavine, a saturated The Jegdalek semi-precious gemstone deposits Afghanistan leave the country starting to formalize the industry this area is located on the Kunar green and most rubies range from (Figure 1). Lapis lazuli, mined illicitly, 90-95% of them going to by asserting its control in rural sub tectonic block of Jalal Abad precious form of nearly colourless to in the Hindu Kush since the Peshawar in Pakistan where they areas. Other developments that block. Proterozoic, late paleozoic, beryl, are found in deep red and purplish Neolithic Period, was transported are sorted for quality. have been highlighted (UNDP, neogene and quaternary rocks the Panjshir Valley. The red, and display strong along the ancient trade routes 2005) are capacity building and consist of igneous rocks such as deposit is thought to have been fluorescence in ultraviolet to Mesopotamia, Ur, Egypt and The low-value stones are cut for education in cutting, polishing, gabbro and basalt, metamorphic discovered in the early 1970s by radiation. True rubies form 15% India. Precious gems including the domestic Pakistan market gemology, and the creation rocks such as serpentinites, a young shepherd. However, this of the production at Jegdalek, emeralds, ruby and sapphires are and the medium- and high- of the quality standards and schists, marbles, amphibolite, may be the deposit referred to in along with pink sapphires (75%) mined in Afghanistan, and semi- quality stones are sent around the targeted marketing campaigns slate and phyllite, and quaternary Pliny’s ‘Natural History’, written in and blue sapphire (5%), the precious lapis lazuli, tourmaline, world for accurate cutting for the in order to increase the value of sedimentary rock exist in the the first century AD, as smaragdus remaining 5% consists of mixed aquamarine, kunzite, topaz, western markets. This pattern of Afghan gemstones before they area. (green stones) from Bactria. blue and red-to-pink corundum garnets, fluorite and varieties trade ensures that Afghanistan are exported. Afghanistan has a (Bowersox, 1990). Clean faceting of quartz are also worked. gains little value from its great opportunity to increase its Based on the geological field quality rubies are rare, but those Afghanistan is also a source of gemstones, and makes the value share of this market, particularly investigations conducted that are found are of excellent quality mineral specimens sought of the annual production difficult because of the proximity to India, by Afghanistan Geological quality and are said to match by collectors. to estimate. The World Bank the world’s largest coloured Survey in 2019, 30 veins those from the very best source of has valued it as US$2.75 million gemstones import market, and 44 evidences of the gem rubies in the world. Gemstone mining in Afghanistan (Mining as a Source of Growth, March and also because there is an existence were spotted in is typically an artisanal activity, 2004), and other estimates suggest increasing demand for higher the metamorphic rocks of carried out by people living in a much higher figure. It has been quality gems in North America, serpentinite and in the contact villages surrounding the mines. suggested that the potential Europe, East Asia and the Middle between serpentinite, schist Tunnels are excavated and annual value is US$160 million East. and calcareous schist. gems are extracted by hand (UNDP, 2005); and this could be Kama Deposit:

52 53 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gemstones Gemstones

LAPIS LAZULI Pink is common though pale blue, Other gem and mineral Lapis lazuli from Badakhshan in indigo blue (indicolite), green, occurrences the north of the country is still and emerald green are found. In Blue sapphire has recently been regarded as the world’s premier addition, rare bi-colored stones reported from Wardak Province source in terms of quantity of green-pink and blue-green are west of Kabul. Cut stones over and quality. Its name is derived much sought after. The crystals two carats are known though not from the Latin ‘lapis’, meaning are beautifully formed, elongate in any great quantity. A range ‘stone’ and the Persian ‘lazhward’ with a distinctive ‘rounded of garnets is known to occur. meaning ‘blue’. It is used to make triangular’ cross-section. The For example, spessartite garnet beads, boxes and other decorative mineral specimen market is is known at Pachighram in articles, is often carved into significant as good quality mineral Nangahar province, and dark red figurines and is popular for men’s specimens can attract large almandines also from Pachighram jewellery. prices. Many specimens from are widespread in Proterozoic Afghanistan can be found at gem schists. In 2002, dealers reported Lapis lazuli is composed of the and mineral shows and for sale on spessartites from mines in feldspathoid minerals lazurite, the Internet. pegmatite at Darre Pech in Kunar hauyne, nosean and sodalite, with where they are extracted along other minerals including calcite Badakhshan with kunzite. They are yellow- and pyrite and lesser amounts Afghanistan is a major world orange in color and stones up to of diopside, amphibole, feldspar, supplier of spodumene, especially 1.68 carats in weight are reported. mica and other silicates. the well-known pink variety Another variety from the same kunzite. Along with other varieties locality is orange-red to dark red Lapis is mined in an area known SEMI-PRECIOUS GEMS FROM of spodumene, kunzite locally almandine-spessartites up to 1.28 Figure 4. Fluorite from Kandahar. as the ʻBlue Mountain’ on the NURISTAN occurs in crystals of great size. carats in weight. right bank of the Kokcha River in These are prismatic and stout, Badakhshan where it occurs as Nuristan is a region on the eastern and specimens one metre in Since 2002 Afghanistan has skarn lenses 1-4m thick in marble. side of Afghanistan bordering length have been found, though become a significant source of Summary Afghanistan is a country There were formerly seven mines Pakistan and with high mountains generally they range from 30 to gem-quality hessonite (grossular very rich in gemstones but extracting lapis lazuli but today incised by numerous steep-sided 400 mm. Spodumene is found garnet) from Munjagal in Kunar at the bottom of the value there is only one, the Sary-Sang valleys. The region is especially in a number of colour varieties Province and Kantiwow in chain. With improvements deposit. The mine lies at an notable for pegmatites, a late- including pink, violet, green Nuristan Province. The hessonite in national security, elevation of around 3,500 metres stage crystallisation from molten (hiddenite), blue, colourless and varies from yellowish orange to recent changes to the legal where, on account of low winter rock, comprising one of the yellowish-green. Well-cut and red-orange, and the combined framework for mining and temperatures, it is worked only largest pegmatite fields in the high clarity stones with more production from these localities the Afghan Government’s between June and September. world which hosts a wide variety saturated colours command the is 7000 kg/year. Kandahar strategy for legitimising the Accurate production figures are of minerals and gems commonly best prices and are highly sought fluorite (Figure 4) is a well-known mining sector, the prospects not available but an estimate is of exceptional size and quality. after. Aquamarine, a name derived collector’s gemstone that comes for investment and improved 9,000kg per year. A speculative Gem-quality tourmalines up to from the Latin for ‘sea water’, is in a range of colours. Particularly yields are very good. With the estimate of the reserves is 1,300 150mm long and 40mm wide a light blue-greenish variety of attractive and sought after are the new development of value tonnes. occur in a wide range of colors. beryl that has been mined near blue and sea-green varieties. added cutting and polishing the village of Konar in Nuristan centres, and Kabul gradually since the mid-1980s. Mined from emerging as a centre for a pegmatite, it occurs in crystals gem trade, Afghanistan up to 75mm long, which are often now has the potential to of very clear gem quality. Much develop further a major larger non-gem quality crystals internationally recognized can be found also. A rarer pale gemstone industry. pink to deep rose variety of beryl called morganite has been mined in small quantities at Mawi in Tourmaline Nuristan.

54 55 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Limestone/Cement LIMESTONE/CEMENT

Summary Location and Accessibility rocks, marble, and metavolcanics; Figure 2. Geology of Zenda Jan, showing While Afghanistan is undergoing The area is located 32 km west of and Cambrian rocks which are limestone bodies (J23ls) overlained by the process of stabilization the city of Herat in the Zandajan composed of sandstone, siltstone, extensive Quaternary (Q34ac) cover on the and reconstruction, there is a District. Most of the road to limestone, dolomite, and mafic eastern end. huge demand for good quality the Zandajan is asphalted. The volcanic rocks, (J12ssl). The cement. Although the country is Hariroad River with abundant Jurassic limestones and marls blessed with abundant limestone water supply crosses the district. are overlain with a tectonic resources, more than 97 percent contact by the Eocene-Oligocene of cement is currently being In addition, the Herat cement volcanogenic- terrigenous rocks imported annually. plant, construction of which (P23rl) which is made of andesitic was halted during the internal basalts, basalt, trachyte, dacite, The Government of Afghanistan conflicts, is located in the area rhyolite, ignimbrite, tuff, has recognized the need for which could be refurbished very developing a vibrant cement easily (Figure 1). Figure 1. View of unfinished cement plant manufacturing industry immediately across from the limestone-marl as high priority target for outcrop. national development in creating much needed local employment, reducing the country’s dependence on foreign imports and improving building standards.

One of several major resources of limestone suitable for cement production is located in the Resource Estimation Zandajan District of Herat Table below outlined general Province, some 35 km to the west parameters used for determining of the city of Herat. the inferred resource estimation for the limestone bodies at The potential reserves of high Zandajan. quality limestone of Lower and Conclusion Middle Jurassic age is estimated From a geologic and economic Specification Outcrop 2 Outcrop 2 Outcrop 3 more than 2.5 billion tons and point of view, the area is highly has excellent access to water, Local Geology conglomerates, sandstones, Length (m) 1,400 600 630 suitable for an investment in road electricity and other Based on studies conducted in siltstone, and the Quaternary building a cement plant with Width (m) infrastructures at Heart city. 1980 mapping of 1:500,000 scale, sediments (Q34ac) made of 835 401 535 higher production capacity. reproduced in Figure 3, the age detrital sediments, gravel, Area (m2) 1,169,000 240,000 337,050 According to AGS assessment, the of the limestone-marl unit in this sand, clay, clay sand, loess, and Zenda Jan area contains more Depth (m) 155m 155m 155m area is Middle Upper Jurassic travertine. The Jurassic limestone than one billion tons of cement 3 (J23ls) and they are bright gray unit strikes to the southeast- Volume (m ) 181,195,000 37,293,000 52,242,750 quality limestone and the colored and in some places northwest between 1200 – 1500 Bulk density (g/cm3) 2.72 2.72 2.72 resources can be easily upgraded reddish. The unit underlies the and dips moderately between because the limestone and marl Metric tons (T) 492,850,400 101,436,960 142,100,280 Upper Proterozoic metamorphic 400–550 SE. units extend further to southwest rocks (Z1scp) which is composed Coordinates N - 34º 19'48.9" N - 34º 19'59.9" (Figure 2), even under the E - 61º 56'19.7" E - 61º 56'10.0" of green schists, metaterrigenous Quaternary cover.

56 57 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Granite DIMENSION STONE

Geology of the Shirbatu sediments. (Stazhilo-Alekseev et al. coarse-grained granite porphyry Granite Complex 1976, Abdullah et al. 1978). Absolute and light-grey and grayish- age determinations yielded two pink granite and granodiorite. BAMYAN GRANITOID COMPLEX distinct ages for the Bamyan They consist of almost equal Granitoid Complex: 200 to 240ma amounts of plagioclase (25 to “Bamyan Granitoid Complex” and 95 to 155ma (Abdullah et al, 35%), microcline (25 to 30%) and (Figure 3) which extends over 1978). The age determination Quartz (25 to 32%) with less biotite pinkish orthoclase and microcline Location and Accessibility thousands of square kilometres therefore indicated two distinct (5 to 8%), and Accessory apatite, feldspars embedded in medium- The Bamyan Granite Complex from the SW to the NE across igneous Phases for the Bamyan zircon, and other minerals. The fine grained feldspars, quartz, and BGC is located approximately Bamyan and Baghlan Provinces. Granitoid Complex. Phase I (Early texture of the rocks is porphyritic, micas. Mapping has delineated 20km west of Bamyan town, the The complex is part of a number Triassic) consist of granites and hypidiomorphic-granular and extensive outcropping over an provincial capital of Bamyan of igneous complexes formed granodiorites, while Phase II poikilitic. area of 164km2 and exposure of Province. The BGC body is further during Early to Late Triassic time (Late Triassic) is made of granites, a minimum 200m vertical depth linked by approximately 225 road as a result of subduction of an alaskite granites, granosyenites, with an inferred resource of km NW of Kabul, the capital city of oceanic crust along the southern quartz syenites and granosyenite 32 billion m3 based on outcrop Afghanistan (Figure 2). margins of the Eurasian plate. porphyries. Summary dimensions. The outcrops of the Additional access from Kabul is The BGC complex intruded Exotic dimension-stone quality Shirbatu Granite Complex (Figure via Wardak Province. This road Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata Phase I granitoid rocks crop Figure 2. Location of Shirbatu granite granites which form the Shirbatu 1) are part of a greater “Bamyan is about 180km long and passes and is unconformably overlain out to the NE of the Shirbatu dimension stone resource, major deposits and Granite Complex (SGC) were Granitoid Complex” in the region, by the Hajigak iron ore deposit. by Cretaceous and younger Complex and are represented by infrastructure (planned and existing). identified by Afghanistan and holds equal potential for This road is passable but certain Geological Survey (AGS) geologists exploration, development and portions require major upgrading during the 2010 field season. exploitation for decorative stone and reconstruction. The SGC is centered on 67.5590E and construction materials. An Parts of the outcropping granitic longitude and 34.8610N latitude, excellent road network connecting bodies are transected by the new and is located approximately Kabul city is in place with other sealed highway between Bamyan 225km NW from Kabul, the capital development options for railway and Yawalang. city of Afghanistan. The body route and energy/power being comprises spectacular porphyritic investigated, to enhance the to equigranular, coarse-medium development of the nearby world- grained, commonly phenocryts of class Hajigak iron ore deposit.

Figure 1. Part of the Shirbatu Granite Complex showing extensive bodies in the background along the road cut from Bamyan to Yawkalang. The Shirbatu Granite Complex is centered on 67.559ºE longitude and 34.861ºN latitude.

58 59 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Granite Granite

SHIRBATU GRANITE COMPLEX The presence of migmatized and aplitic, graphic and porphyritic hornfelsed contact aureoles are up textures consisting of varying The Shirbatu Granite Complex to several hundred metres wide. amounts of: (SGC) outcrops over a surface area Several dyke series associated • microcline (up to 65%), of 164km2 and formed during with the complex are represented • oligoclase (10 to 30%), the Phase II intrusion of granites by pegmatites and, less frequently, • quartz (15to 30%), and granodiorites. There are also diorite porphyry and diabase • biotite (5 to 7%) and Economic Potential some veins and stocks of alaskite bodies; measuring a few metres • accessory zircon, garnet, apatite, The granites from Shirbatu granites and granosyenites. At thick and a few dozen meters long, other opaque minerals. massif exhibit beautiful textures this locality, the complex intruded confined mainly to the contact when polished and can be used limestones of Upper Permian age zones of the intrusive. The porphyry granites exhibit as very valuable building stone (Figure 4). the typical granitic texture with and decorative tiles, sidewalks, Phase II granitoid rocks include elements of pegmatite texture vanities, kitchens tables, and other The contact aureole within the ‘Shirbatu Granite Complex’ (Figure 4 and 5). This type of needs. Texturally, coarse grains the sedimentary rocks is and are represented by granites, textures is extremely exotic of varying amounts of feldspars characterized by development alaskite granite, granosyenite, looking when polished. and quartz are embedded in a of skarn and marbelization of quartz syenite and syenite finer grained matrix of the same limestones, actinolization and porphyry. They are coarse to minerals with minor accessories biotization of volcanogenic rocks medium grained, massive light giving a “porphyritic texture” and serpentinization of dolomites. grey and grey-pink rocks with (Figure 4) to equigranular and very coarse pegmatitic appearance. Less commonly are medium grained equigranular textures giving the rocks exotic appearance when cut and polished (Figure 5). The inferred resource for decorative building stone at Figure 4. A polished slab of coarse grained The Shirbatu Granite Complex Figure 5. A polished slab of medium grained porphyritic granite. Abundant coarse grained is approximately 32.8 billion equigranular granite, comprising >60 vol. % of pinkish orthoclase feldspar embedded in m3. The road infrastructure is pinkish orthoclase feldspar. relatively medium-fine grain plagioclase being upgraded and access to feldspar (grey) and quartz (white) and biotite major markets in the north and (dark minerals). to Kabul city will be excellent. With the further railway development, transportation of bulk commodities will be greatly improved.

The production of high quality tiles for decorative purposes and by-products for road aggregates and other usages can be fully established after Figure 3. Shirbatu Granite Complex is located some 20km to the west of Bamyan town, along the further exploration and detailed main road (thick brown line) connecting Bamyan with Band-e-Amir and Yakawlang. G-damartodic feasibility studies. and G-DP2-T1 are phase 1 and phase II igneous complexes, respectively. The Shirbatu Granite Complex intruded sedimentary rocks of Upper Permian Limestone and terrigenous sediments, (K2- P1 and C2) which were then unconformably overlain by Neogene (N2) sediments (conglomerates, sandstone and siltstone) (Geology after USGS, compiled from Soviet Union maps, 2007).

60 61 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles MARBLES

A wide range of marble is Logar: Proterozoic marble is Herat: Proterozoic Chesht-i-Sharif ONYX currently being extracted from quarried in Awbazak, Dehnow and Marble occurs 120 km east of quarries in Kabul, Logar, Wardak, Mohammad Agha. Awbazak Marble Herat city and consists of a finely Onyx is a banded variety of Badakhshan, Bamyan, Helmand, is bioclastic and brown; Dehnow crystalline marble ranging in chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline Herat, Nangarhar, Kandahar, Marble is brecciated and brown; colour from pure white to a subtle form of quartz. Onyx is highly Faryab, Paktia, Parwan, Ghazni Mohammad Agha Marble is black light green. The Chesht Marbles are valued as a high quality marble Background and Samangan provinces: and white. currently worked for dimension and the colour of its bands range The marble industry is one stone and have been favourably from white to almost every other of the fastest growing sectors Kabul: Proterozoic marble is Wardak: Proterozoic Maydan compared to Carrara Marble, an colour. Afghan onyx is quarried of Afghan’s economy (USAID, quarried in Ghazak, Hazare Marble occurs near Maydan Shar Italian marble recognised to be from several provinces including 2008; Rassin, 2012). Currently 40 Baghal, Kariz-Amir, Pul-e- and consists of grey and dark grey one of the finest in the world. Bamyan, Helmand and Faryab, marbles are being quarried, and Charkhy, Qalamkar, and Tara marble ‘beds’ up to 450 m thick, with colours including shades over a hundred more have been Kheel. The Proterozoic Kariz-Amir interbedded with schist. The Nangarhar: Proterozoic Khogiani of yellow, green or brown. Some identified and catalogued, and Marble occurs about 40 km north Maydan Marble Mines are well- Marble occurs 35 km south-west of of these may in fact be a variety therefore supply is not a major of Kabul and is a granular white, known, with five working areas Jalalabad and consists of a white of aragonite (calcium carbonate) constraint on growth. Current rarely grey-yellow marble. Ghazak in a 10-12 km outcrop that has marble known as ‘Afghan White’. called travertine, however the growth is two-pronged; the Black is a popular fine-grained, worked for 40 years. traditional name of onyx has industry is gaining increased black marble that occurs 32 km Ghazni: The province recently remained in place and is still used share of the domestic market for east of Kabul. Anjirak White Marble Badakhshan: Siluro-Devonian began producing tan coloured to this day. low-cost marbles, while expanding comes from a quarry on Hazare Bini-Kama Marble is a medium Ghazni Travertine and Ghazni White exports of high-value marbles that Baghal Mountain and contains and coarsely crystalline marble Marble. are in demand worldwide. small light gray siliceous nodules. with a resource of about 1,300 HONEYCOMB ONYX Figure 2 million tonnes. Carboniferous Samangan: Cretaceous to Faizabad Granodiorite is mined and Paleocene Samangan Marbles A new quarry in Chesti-Sharif processed in a new facility. include tan, yellow, and pink district of Herat Province colours. Some samples have produces a honeycomb patterned Bamyan: Shibartu Granite is a large visible fossils. onyx. Pseudomorphs of gypsum untapped dimension stone on crystals that were replaced by the main road between Bamyan chalcedony are the apparent city and Yakawlang. This stone is cause of the honeycomb pattern coarse-grained and porphyritic. (Figure 2). Large pink orthoclase crystals give it a special appeal.

Figure 1. Ornamental marble working in For new projects, contact the Kabul. Ministry at: [email protected]

62 63 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles Marbles

Kariz-Amir Marble, Kabul Pul-e-Charkhy, Kabul Kabul Grey, Kabul Wardak Grey, Wardak Wardak White, Wardak Wardak White, Wardak

Qalamkar Marble, Kabul Ghazak Marble, Kabul Ghazak Black, Kabul Wardak Grey, Wardak Samangan Brown, Samangan Samangan Marble, Samangan

Hazare Baghal, Kabul Chesht-i-Sharif Marble, Herat Zurmat Marble, Khost Samangan Marble, Samangan Kaftar Khana, Parwan Salang Marble, Parwan

Mohammad Agha, Logar Dehnow Marble, Logar Awbazak Marble, Logar

64 65 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles

Qalatak Marble, Panjshir Helmand Brown and White Onyx, Helmand Helmand Brown and White Onyx, Helmand

Helmand Brown Onyx, Helmand Helmand Green Onyx, Helmand Yakawlang Onyx, Bamyan

Khogiani Marble (Afghan White), Nangarhar Almar White Onyx, Faryab Almar Green Onyx, Faryab

66 Shah Foladi Geology Park, Bamyan — Photo Credit: Dr. Hassan Malestani MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN TENDERING PROCESS

ROYALTY RATE LEGAL FRAMEWORK The 2018 Minerals Law provides MINING SECTOR for the High Economic Council to approve the mining concession In order to unlock Afghanistan’s The country retains ownership on pre-approved mining areas, potential for investment, the of all mineral resources, and the with the concessions negotiated new Minerals law has been government grants concessions through a Mining Technical developed to favor the investors to private mining companies Committee in the Ministry in terms of tendering process for exploration and exploitation of Mines and Petroleum. The and royalty payments. Based on through a competitive public Ministry is responsible for 2018 Minerals Law, the royalty tender process which is tendering and management of considered for unprocessed, administered by the Ministry of all large-scale mining projects. semi-processed and fully Mines and Petroleum pursuant It is anticipated that investors processed products are 7.5%, to the 2018 Minerals Law, with will be primarily interested 5% and 2.5% respectively. The final approval granted by the in exploration licenses with government has recognized the High Economic Council and the priority right for the issue of an importance of fully- processed Cabinet. exploitation license. The process- minerals, which can be a powerful map for tendering process for instrument to generate inclusive large-scale mining projects is growth from a sector that provided below: otherwise, might be an enclave of isolated activities.

Mining High National Technical Economic Procurement Cabinet Committee Council Commission

Jegdalek Ruby MoMP announces MTC evaluates the HEC approves the NPC approves the Cabinet approves the MoMP executes the and carries out the bids, and makes preferred bidder preferred bidder preferred bidder contract and grants tender process recommendations license

68 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN REFERENCES

http://www.mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_CEMENT_Zandajan_Herat_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/Bamyan%20Complex%20v3.pdf.

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_MOLYBDENUM_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf.

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/downloads/start.cfm?id=3207

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_MARBLE_Midas_Jan_2014_NEW.pdf

https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2014/myb3-2014-af.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/Marble%20in%20Afghanistan%20Brochure.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/Rare%20Earth%20Elements.pdf.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1207/pdf/ofr2011-1207.pdf

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/downloads/start.cfm?id=3204

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MOMP_IRON_ORE_Syadara_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Hajigak%20Iron%20Ore%20Deposit.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1204/pdf/07D.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Copper%20Potential.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1214/PDF/7.0-sedimentary-processes-FINAL.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1204/pdf/06A.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Copper%20Potential.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1204/pdf/15A.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Copper%20Potential.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_MOLYBDENUM_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/downloads/start.cfm?id=3203

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_GOLD_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_LEAD_ZINC_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_CHROMITE_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_FLUORSPAR_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_GRANITE_Bamyan_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_LITHIUM_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/Lithium%20in%20Afghanistan%20.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Achin%20Magnesite%20Deposit.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2015/1121/pdf/ofr20151121_report.pdf

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Phosphate%20Potential%20of%20Afghanistan.pdf

https://www.frbsf.org/economic-research/files/Goldstein_Xie.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288833928_Sedimentary_Phosphate_Deposits_Mineral_Deposit_Profile_F07

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_PHOSPHATE_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

http://augraindesable.be/300tph/1964/rock-phosphate-mines-in-iran.html

http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/MoMP_PHOSPHATE_Midas_Jan_2014.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2015/1121/pdf/ofr20151121_report.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1214/PDF/3.0-carbonatite-FINAL.pdf The blues lakes of Afghanistan's famous Band-e-Amir National Park located outside Bamyan City Photo Credit: Graham Crouch/World Bank http://mom.gov.af/Content/files/The%20Phosphate%20Potential%20of%20Afghanistan.pdf

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2015/1121/pdf/ofr20151121_report.pdf

71 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN

For more information: Email: [email protected] Visit: www.momp.gov.af