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 Standard Disclaimer This is a technical document drawing on multiple data sources, all of which are open source. While any analysis is based on this data, both sins of commission or OUR PUBLICATIONS omission are the responsibility of the MoMP Public Relations Directorate. Should there be either typographic or data errors in the report, kindly communicate Available for download at: momp.gov.af these in writing to
[email protected] and a revised version will be posted online. 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.