Mineral Resources in Afghanistan

Home , Bamyan, Geology of Afghanistan, Ghazni Province, Hauyne, Herat Province, Magnesite

MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN

2020 momp.gov.af1 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 omission are the responsibility of the MoMP Public Relations Directorate. Should there be either typographic or data errors in the report, kindly communicate 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.

Compiled by: Hussaindad Shafai Abdullah Asifi Said Amin Hashimy Habibullah Mirkhail Qasim Akbar

Cover and above photograph: Shah Foladi Geology Park, Bamyan by Dr. Hassan Malestani

2020 © Ministry of Mines and Petroleum Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Contents

4 Geologic and Mineral Resource Map of Afghanistan

7 Introduction

8 Copper

14 Iron Ores

22 Phosphate

26 Magnesite/Talc

31 Chromite

35 Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au

40 Gold

48 Fluorspar

52 Granite Dimension Stone

56 Lead and Zinc

63 Limestone/Cement

66 Gemstones

70 Marbles

76 Tendering Process

78 References

Download our publications at momp.gov.af

Mining Sector Roadmap

+ REFORM STRATEGY EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

2019 momp.gov.af 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.

7 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN COPPER

Introduction Recent geological fieldwork by the plates produced the Himalayan Afghanistan Geological Survey orogeny. During this oblique Copper is an essential commodity aided by international advisors collision, NW directed subduction in today’s digital and electronic has improved the knowledge of occurred beneath the Tirin- age and in recent years has seen a these deposits and made the Argandab zone and calc-alkaline dramatic increase in its value. information available to the global granite bodies were intruded, Increased demand from the mining industry. accompanied by porphyry copper rapidly growing developing mineralization. The exotic terrane economies of Asia has led to a rise of the Kabul Block brought with it in mineral exploration and the Geology of Afghanistan sedimentary copper deposits like opening of new mines in adjacent Aynak - similar in age and style to regions. Afghanistan is well placed Afghanistan has a complex geology those of the Zambian Copper Belt. to meet this demand and the due to junction position between Aynak copper deposit, one of the the Indo-Australasian and largest in Asia, is currently being Eurasian plates. Its geology is developed by a Chinese company. composed of a series of small The country has a wealth of other terranes that broke away from the copper prospects, most notably a main Gondwana supercontinent number of porphyry copper before colliding, with each other deposits along part of the Tethyan or, with the Eurasian plate. Metallogenic Belt (TMB) and a Ultimately, all terranes accreted recently discovered volcanogenic onto the southern margin of the massive sulphide deposit (VMS) at Eurasian plate. The final closure of Balkhab. the Neo-Tethys ocean between the Indo-Australasian and Eurasian

60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E

" "" " " Balkhab " . " BADAKHSHAN " " KUNDUZ JAWZJAN TAKHAR BALKH N " 0 ' N

" Ahankashan 0 ° 0 ' 6 0 3 ° FARYAB " 6 SAMANGAN 3 " BAG"HL"AN " SARI PUL " "" " " " " " "" PARWAN NURISTAN BADGHIS " KAPISA KUNAR LAGHMAN BAMYAN " Legend " Shaida """K""A"B"U"L """""" "" WARDAK """"""" NANGARHAR " "" " HIRAT " " Provinces LOGAR GHOR """ " " "" "" " ""

" Faults N

" "

PAKTYA Aynak 0 N

" '

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

" 3 0 "" 3 ° " "" " " 3 " """ "" Porphyry Copper Deposits 3 " " " " " " " " " "" " "" "" "" " Prospective FA"RAH PAKTIKA " """ " ""ZABUL Favorable "" " " Permissive Copper Mineral Occurance " Zarkashan HILMAND "" " Cu KANDAHAR " NIMROZ Figure 1. Map of Afghanistan, showing major N Kundalyan " N 0 ' "

" 0 0 ° '

0 deposits and prospects, and permissive tracts 0 °

" 3 0

3 KM 0 65 130 260 390 520 for porphyry copper deposits (ppycu01-12) (after Peters et al., 2007). 60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E

8 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper

Copper Deposits Sediment-Hosted Stratiform Volcanogenic Massive Copper Deposits Sulphide There are around 300 documented copper deposits, occurrences and North Aynak Balkhab showings in Afghanistan (Abdullah Recent geological mapping of This poorly described occurrence and Chmyriov, 2008). A variety of the North Aynak area (Bohannon, has been reinvestigated by styles of copper mineralization 2010) and interpretation of high AGS and mapped using remote occur in rocks ranging in age from quality remote sensed data (Peters sensing data (Peters et al., 2011). Proterozoic to Neogene. These et al., 2011 and Department of The Balkhab copper volcanogenic include sediment-hosted, skarn, Defense, 2011) have improved the massive sulfide (VMS) prospect porphyry, and vein-hosted. The potential of this area and the latter lies within the Balkhab copper largest and best-known copper estimate that more than half of the area of interest and is part of an discovery in Afghanistan is the copper deposit could lie outside eroded inlier of deformed pre- world-class Aynakstratabound of the MCC area. One example Triassic, mainly Ordovician rocks, deposit hosted within Vendian- of a known occurrence in North in Sar-i-Pul Province. It lies in Cambrian quartz-biotite-dolomite Aynak is described below. The a canyon unconformably below metasedimentary rocks 30km Katasang occurrence is an 800m horizontal Mesozoic sedimentary southeast of Kabul. Soviet long, 3.6 to 13.8m thick (average rocks (Peters et al., 2011). Copper surveys in the 1970s and 1980s 7.2m) mineralized zone within mineralization consists of a outlined an indicated resource steeply dipping, albitized marble silicified limonite-bearing zone of 240Mt grading 2.3% Cu. containing disseminated bornite, 4,000 to 5,000m long by 300 However, Afghanistan has yet chalcopyrite, chalcocite and minor to 400m wide of deformed and to be evaluated in the light of malachite. Limited exploration faulted rock that contains at least modern mineral deposit models conducted at this site included four areas of extensive malachite, and improved analytical methods. 1:2,000-scale geological mapping, azurite, pyrite, and disseminated From a global perspective, trenching, and geochemical chalcopyrite, bornite, and galena Afghanistan is relatively under sampling, and resulted in the grading from 0.25 to 1.34% Cu. explored and the potential for calculation of a potential resource Old surface and underground further discoveries of copper and containing 42,100 tonnes of workings are in the high-grade other minerals is high. A ranking copper at an average grade of areas. In 2008 to 2009 the AGS of significant known deposits and 1.04% Cu (Kutkin and Gusev, 1977). confirmed the highly mineralized prospects is given below. The occurrence was classified copper zones. as “noncommercial,” but more detailed exploration by drilling was Ranking of Known Cu recommended. Deposits Figure 2. North Aynak Landsat TM enhanced color 1. Aynak image. TM bands 1-4-7 are 2. Zarkashan shown in blue-green-red. 3. Kundalyan Yellow outline is the Loy 4. Balkhab Khwar Formation that hosts 5. Shaida copper deposits. Spectral 6. North Aynak analyses of ASTER and 7. Akhankoshan HyMap images, shows that 8. Darrah-i-Alansang the distinctive tan-colored 9. Gologha outcrops within the Loy Khwar Formation are dolomite members, which host the Aynak copper deposit further south.

9 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper

DEPOSIT PROFILE 1 Deposit Name Balkhab Location Sari-i-Pul Province Deposit Style Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Host geology Ordovician schist and phyllite with bimodal felsic volcanics Ore minerals Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, bornite, galena, malachite, azurite

Deposit geology Copper mineralisation consists of a silicified limonite-bearing zone 4 to 5m long by 300 to 400m wide Metal content Zone grades 0.25 to 1.34% Cu but no estimate of tonnage

Remote sensing studies suggest Figure 3. Anomalous zones (1-7) determined that the mineralization may from Landsat TM alteration patterns in the extend for over 40km (Figure 3). Balkhab copper area (Peters et al., 2011).

Figure 4. Malachite- and azurite-coated phyllite from Balkhab copper prospect (Peters et al., 2011).

10 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper

Copper Porphyry Deposits DEPOSIT PROFILE 2 Deposit Name Zarkashan Soviet-Afghan teams identified Location Ghazni Province a number of Cu-Au prospects Deposit Style and occurrences in the Tirin- Porphyry Cu-Au and related Skarn Argandab zone and Peters et Host geology Late Triassic dolomites in the contact zones of the Zarkashan gabbro, monzonite and syenite intrusion al., (2007) defined this as their Ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite and gold prospective tracts ppycu05-07 Deposit Skarns occur in pockets or as sheetlike deposits. Several ore-bearing zones occur 400– 600m long and (Figure 1). The zone forms part of geology 11–75m wide. The richest gold is found in phlogopite skarns the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt of Metal content 7.7t Gold contained in C1 and C2 categories world- class porphyry copper- gold deposits, which stretches Gold mineralization is traceable from Europe, through Turkey, for 80m down dip, assaying from Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tibet 0.10 g/tonne to 16 g/tonne gold. and into SE Asia. The prospective Category C1+C2 resources contain tracts have been identified by a 7,775kg Au and speculative distinctive group of Cretaceous- resources are 12 to 15 tonnes of Paleocene intrusive rocks that gold. Copper grades vary from are spatially related to the known 0.01 to 15%. Recent sampling by Cu skarn deposits and prospects, USGS (Peters et al., 2011) has shown alteration zones from ASTER and that extensive, disseminated aeromagnetic anomalies. Within mineralization is present in the Figure 6. Three-dimensional view of the Zarkashan copper them two deposits, Zarkashan in large contact (hornfels) zones and gold area of interest showing hyperspectral anomalies the north and Kundalyan in the indicating large medium- to surrounding the Zarkashan intrusive (white outline). Blue south, have been investigated by low-grade ore bodies that are and purple zones represent alteration zones with goethite detailed sampling, trenching and amenable to modern excavation and jarosite. These alteration zones are coincident with drilling. methods at current gold and anomalous gold areas from earlier Soviet sampling (Peters copper prices. et al., 2011).

Zarkashan The Zarkashan Area of Interest surrounds the Late Cretaceous- Paleocene Zarkashan diorite, granodiorite to adamellite intrusion and consists of a number of gold and copper occurrences (Figures 6 and 7). The deposit is hosted by Triassic and Cretaceous sediments and is associated with garnet-vesuvianite-diopside and irregular zones of diopside skarns. The mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite, and native gold in the hydrothermally altered skarns. Preliminary exploration, including rock sampling, trenching and underground adits, indicates the presence of several ore-bearing zones 400-600m long and 1-15m thick, with lenticular and nest-shaped bodies of 1.5- 50m long and 0.5-3.8m thick.

11 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper

A number of other prospects, limestone, chert, and skarn A such as Zardak, Dynamite, Choh- (Peters et al., 2011 after Soviet i-Surkh and Sufi Kademi, around authors). The chief minerals in the Zarkashan intrusive are also the skarn are pyroxene, garnet, highly prospective for porphyry amphibole, phlogopite, and coppergold deposits and worthy magnetite. Mineralization is of further investigation. Peters present both in skarn and chert. et al., (2007) predicted that in the There are 13 orebodies along the Zarkashan-Kundalyan tract there Kundalyan Fault Zone (Figure 8A) is a high probability (50%) of one that are between 2.65 to 12.3m porphyry copper-gold deposit and thick and from 36 to 175m long, a 10% probability of two deposits. containing 0.62-1.2% Cu and 0.5- 2.0 g/t Au. The mineralization is predominately chalcopyrite and Kundalyan pyrite and more seldom sphalerite, The Kundalyan copper-gold gray copper ore, and enargite. skarn deposit is localized along The Category C1+C2 reserves in a 400 meter long, 1.5km wide the Soviet classification system, inlier that consists of altered were reported as 13,600 tonnes of coppergrading 1.07% Cu and 1.1 tonnes of gold grading 0.9 g/t Au.

The Kundalyan copper-gold skarn deposit area was explored by a series of trenches, adits, and drill holes. B Data was presented on cross sections (Figure 8B) for about 5km of strike length along a NNW- trending zone that is exposed in a valley. The Kundalan copper-gold deposit has been explored where a northweststriking stream has eroded through Figure 7. Geological map of the Zarkashan area showing colluvial cover and exposed a Figure 8. (A) Geological map of the Kundalyan area the mineralized areas (bedrock gold anomalies in red) granodioritic intrusive intruding showing the ore zone (black), skarn (orange), kaolin- surrounding the Zarkashan pluton (lighter shades of red). Precambrian, Cambrian, and carbonate rock (grey), altered granitoids (pale blue), (Peters et al., 2011). Carboniferous limestone. The granodiorite (green) and colluvium (pale yellow). (B) skarn zone contains brecciated, Illustrative cross section through boreholes 2 and 7 at stromatolitic (?) limestone and Kundalyan (key as above). contains large areas of layered calcsilicate rock related to skarn formation and metasomatic

12 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Copper

kaolin-carbonate rock. Malachite- DEPOSIT PROFILE 3 stained siliceous skarn and Deposit Name Kundalyan porphyroblastic marble also are Location Zabul Province common in the mineralized zone. Deposit Style Despite the extensive trenching Cu-Mo-Au-Ag skarn and the boreholes in the main Host geology Proterozoic and Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and cherts zone there seems to have been Ore minerals Chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite,sphalerite, molybdenite, chalcocite, bornite, covellite, native Cu, little exploration of the colluvium malachite covered areas to the west and east. Deposit geology Three deposits up to 155m long and 2.59–3.89m thick. Mineralization restricted to hematite-kaolin-quartz and meta-carbonates Several copper and copper- Metal content C1+C2 resources 13600t Cu @ 1.07% Cu; 1.1t Au, @ 0.9 g/t Au; 127.3t Mo @ 0.13% Mo gold and gold prospects and occurrences are present cluster near and around the Chasu-Ghumbad areas. Further peripheral to or away from the Kundalan group of deposits in details can be found in Peters et main Kundalyan copper-gold the Kaptarghor, Shela-i-Surkh, al., (2011). skarn deposit. Prospects generally Baghawan-Garangh, Kunar and

13 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN IRON ORES

Geologic Outline times. In the early Cretaceous are locating in the same belt, there is evidence of a collision hosted With by Neo-Proterozoic The geology of Afghanistan is of one of these blocks, the Farad metamorphic rocks that complex due to the junction block, with the Eurasian plate, represent the basement rocks position between the Indo- along the Herat fault zone. Shortly of the Gondwanaland continent. Pakistan and Asian crustal afterwards, the Helmand block At Syadara, the basement rocks plates (Chapman and Hall, 1997). collided with the Farad block. are sandwich between Herat and Tectonically it is composed Gagharnaw faults, represent the of a series of narrow terranes The well known iron ore final closing of the Paleotethys that broke away from the main deposits are found from western Ocean (USGS GIS, Peters et al., Gondwanaland supercontinent Afghanistan along the Herat 2007). Syadara iron ore is before becoming accreted onto fault system through central discussed first with mention of the southern margin of the Afghanistan and north-ward to and other iron occurrences to Eurasian plate. The accretionary the Panjshir valley and possibly indicate the potential for further events started in the Cretaceous, into Badakhshan (Fig.1). The discoveries. around 140 million years ago, best-known sedimentary Hajigak and have continued until recent and Syadara iron deposits

Figure 1. Geological map of Afghanistan showing location of stratabound iron ore occurrences within Middle to Upper Proterozoic formations.

14 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores

Syadara Iron Ore (Doebrich and Whal, 2006) shows Neo-Proterozoic meta- Large massive magnetite bodies sedimentary host rocks, which were discovered by the consist of greenschist facies and Afghanistan Geological Survey phyllite, marble, dolomite and (AGS) at Syadara during the 2010 metavolcanic rocks with field season and along strike of interlayered sedimentary rocks. the world-class Hajigak iron Within the deposit area, the beds deposit, within a similar have been deformed and are geotectonic setting. The discovery steeply dipping. Inter-beds of of Syadara confirmed the 200km black carbonaceous slates and long Proterozoic metamorphic Figure 2. View NE along strike showing an screes of chert were also observed belt as highly prospective for iron iron ore outcrop of 500m long and 50-70m near the AGS camp. ore, and significantly improves thick, moderately dipping at 45 degrees to the the overall economic outlook of NW. Elsewhere the body is 30m thick and dips Mineralization Hajigak. Preliminary mapping, steeply (80-85) degrees to the SE. (AGS 2010) The Syadara iron ore body sampling and ground magnetic consists of massive magnetite survey over a portion of the ore with weak specular hematite, body was completed during the Sample Fe% S% P% pyrite and with minor to trace 2010 field season by Afghanistan BD1 66.74 0.23 0.05 chalcopyrite. Intense oxidation Geological Survey. Geological represented by limonite (goethite- BD2 work to date has indicated strata- 60.81 1.55 0.03 hematite) is well developed in bound, magnetite with weak BD7 65.33 0.33 0.05 places, with trace malachite- sulphide mineralization hosted azurite and neotocite (proven by BD8 66.8 0.87 0.18 within slates, phyllite and schist. H2SO4 test). The ore body extended The ore body is largely BD12 67.67 0.51 0.34 at both ends NE-SW, for more than discontinuous, steeply dipping, 10km along strike. The magnetite BD15 on average 15 to 30m thick and 65.67 1.55 0.04 body is discontinuous and has trends NE-SW for more than BD6 66.83 0.23 0.05 variable thickness. The average 10km along strike-length. The thickness of the mineralization is thickest observed section is about Table 1. Shows the results of identified between 15-30m and steeply 50-70m wide x 500m long and samples. dipping, (70-80º) to the SW. The dips at 45º to the NW. Elsewhere thickest outcropping the body is 30m thick and dips mineralization was observed steeply (80-85) degrees to the SE. Syadara Magnetite between OC3 and OC4. At this The change in dip may reflect Ore Body locality, the body measures folding, shallow at the hinge and approximately 50 to 70m wide steepest on the limbs. Dextral-slip dipping 45º to the NW over a faulting is evident but the Geology distance of 500m along strike. A apparent displacements are less Iron-mineralization is mainly depth of approximately 400m to than a few tens of metres. hosted within the green-schist the mineralization could be Based on outcrop dimensions, an facies, metavolcanics and ascertained, based on the highest inferred resource of >400Mt of phyllites. A thin dolomite and lowest outcrop elevations iron ore is plausible. Assay results sequence is in close proximity (AGS 2010). (see Table. 1) from composite grab with the magnetite (Fig. 3). The samples returned grades ranging rocks are part of the Neo- Structure from 50-67% Fe (mean of 65% Fe) Proterozoic metamorphics which The magnetite body is mostly and are consistent with grades at host the world-class Hajigak iron unreformed, but several shear/ Hajigak. ore deposit, located some 110km fault contacts and dextral slip with east of Syadara. The geologic map the wall rocks have been

15 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores

observed. Several post-mineral magnetic survey (Fig. 3). limestones and dolomites NW-SE trending strike-slip faults, interbedded with dark grey cross-cutting the mineralization Hajigak Iron Ore crystalline schists and light were inferred from the well- coloured quartzites that display developed galleys, but only limited Geology evidence of amphibolite grade displacements are apparent (AGS The oldest part of the succession metamorphism. They are mapped 2010). crops out north-west of the Hajigak deposits (Figure 4). It Figure 4. Simplified geological map of the Assay Results consists of grey silicified Hajigak area (after Kusov et al., 1965). The arithmetic average for assay results from composite grab samples collected from different magnetite ore bodies ranges from 60.81 to 67.87% Fe. Average results, with deleterious elements from some of the identified bodies are shown in the Table 1 (AGS 2010).

Ground Magnetic Survey Ground magnetic and self- potential surveys were completed over an area of 4km x 1km. The profile lines were spaced 10m apart in a NW-SE direction, perpendicular to the strike of the magnetite mineralization. The magnetic data correlates well with the mapped massive magnetite- pyrite body and indicates possible extension below the surface. Furthermore, major lineaments Figure 3. Total magnetic based on ground as the Jawkol Formation, and with an apparent sense of magnetic data between AGS camp and OC4, interpreted as Middle Proterozoic movement and displacement were AGS 2010. Mapped magnetite outcrop with in age. The Hajigak iron deposit is well detected by the ground number is shown in solid black. hosted by the Upper Proterozoic Awband Formation that, together with the underlying Kab Formation, constitutes the Qala Series, a sequence of metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks up to 4,500 m thick (Figure 5).

The Kab Formation consists of dark grey sandy sericitic schists, interpreted as metamorphosed terrigenous rocks, acid volcanic rocks and minor beds of marble and phyllite. The Awband Formation is made up of schists (quartz-sericite, quartz-chlorite- sericite, quartz-sericite- chlorite and carbonaceous sericite) that are metamorphosed acid and basic

16 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores

tuffites and argillaceous rocks. Figure 5. Stratigraphic log of the Hajigak area. of the area in the mid-thirties but (after Kusov et al., 1965). the economic potential was not The Green Schist Formation, a fully recognized until a joint distinctive unit overlying the Afghan-Soviet project, between Awband Formation, consists 1963 and 1965, carried out an dominantly of green chlorite extensive study which mapped schists, and quartz-sericitic and described the deposit in some schists locally intruded by detail (Figure 4). The regional granodiorites. Some reports geology was mapped at 1:50,000 consider it to be a member of the while the Hajigak deposit was Awband Formation. mapped at 1:10,000. Focusing on Upper Devonian rocks of the the western area of the deposit, Hajigak formation are faulted the study included detailed against the Green Schist prospecting, trenching, four deep formation. The predominant drill holes, a 200m long horizontal strike of the Proterozoic and adit and shafts into the fragmental Palaeozoic rocks is NE with a ore. For two of the main ore regional dip of approximately 50o bodies, I and II, horizontal plans towards the SE. and vertical cross-sections were generated allowing the ore to be Mineralization resource classified. Although the The Hajigak deposit trends NE-SW ore bodies were thought to be of for about 9 km and is made up of limited depth extension there is 16 separate ore bodies, each up to no deep drilling to confirm this. 3 km in length. The deposit can be The detailed study focused on the divided up into three geographical western section of the ore body parts, the western, central and and a detailed resource estimate eastern parts. In addition to the could only be made for a small large ore bodies there is a portion of the deposit. substantial area of thin fragmental ore deposits in the form of four Metallogenesis surficial deposits. The main Various models have been hematitic ore is medium- to suggested for the formation of fine-grained and displays a variety Hajigak deposit, including of massive, banded and porous metosomatic skarn, banded iron textures. It occurs in lenses and formation and also submarine- sheets, within the Awband exhalative. It is believed that as Formation. The thickness of the the Upper Proterozoic basin lenses indicated by drilling to be consist mainly of magnetite, evolved there was an increase in up to 100 m, while the depth of martite and hydrogoethite. There the volcanic input to the mineralisation is untested 180 m are two other oxidised ore types in sediments. Synchronous with this below surface. the deposit: Hydrogoethite/ volcanism Fe-bearing hematite/semi-martite and hydrothermal fluids were There are two main ore groups: carbonate/ semi-martite, occur introduced which led to unoxidised primary ores and sporadically in small amounts. precipitation of iron oxides and semi-oxidised ores: Alteration of the host rocks, which sulphides in the form of large Unoxidised primary ores occur below may be related to the mineralizing sheets and lenses in oxidising 100 m and consist of magnetite event, includes sericitisation, shallow water marine conditions. and pyrite, with up to 5% silicification and carbonisation. These fluids would have been chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. circulating sea water or magmatic, Exploration or a combination of both. Semi-oxidised ores extend down to Iron occurrences were observed Diagenesis and metamorphism 130 m below ground surface, during initial geological mapping converted the iron oxides to the

17 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores

magnetite that is found in the Resource Iron resources NE of Hajigak Sample Ore Type Fe % primary ore. Later supergene and/ Mt North-east of Hajigak a number of or hydrothermal processes Hematite, occurrences of bedded iron ore Khaish 117 55.54 oxidised the ore into hematite and magnetite have been identified by Afghan goethite. Hematite, teams and are regarded as an This model for the Hajigak iron Kharzar magnetite, ~10 62.76 eastward continuation of the deposits resembles the Algoma martite Hajigak mineralization along Hematite, iron type deposit (Figure 5), which Chur n/a 56.93 strike for approximately 20 km. is hosted by volcanogenic iron- magnetite Table 3 provides details of the Hematite, bearing sequences mostly of Zerak 20 56.93 occurrences and the hypothetical Archean or Proterozoic age, magnetite resources, but further exploration Hematite, similar to the Awband Formation Sausang 300 n/a is required to assess their true magnetite at Hajigak. The Algoma iron type potential. Further details can be deposits from microbanded to found in Abdullah (2008) and Table 3. Iron occurrences NE of Hajigak (from mesobanded lenticular shapes Peters et al. (2011). Peters et al., 2011) that are less than 50 metres thick and occasionally extend for more 1659.1 Mt (Table 2). The latter than 10 kilometers along strike, category (prognosis) resources similar to the Hajigak iron deposit. are based on field mapping data Other Proterozoic Iron Rock types usually associated with and not drilled or sampled and Ore Occurrences Algoma iron type deposits are would have little basis in modern mafic to felsic submarine volcanic Western resource classifications. Jabal-e-Seraj rocks and deep-water clastic and Further exploration has the The mineralisation is represented volcanoclastic sediments. potential to upgrade current by large hematite lenses and C2 and P2 resources to A, B, bed-shaped bodies formed of Iron resources of Hajigak and C1 resources and enhance ferruginous marble of Proterozoic The original resource estimation the potential for iron mining at age (Fig. 1), 10 to 30 metres by the Afghan-Soviet team in Hajigak. Much more exploration, thick and extended over 1km. 1965 has been re-evaluated drilling, sampling, and analysis Reconnaissance mapping was by Sutphin, Renaud and Drew is needed before a full economic carried out by AGS in 2008 and (Chapter 7D in Peters et al., 2011) evaluation of the deposit can be the occurrence is not considered and they have estimated that the made. to have economic potential A+B+C1 resources total 110.8 because of tectonic disruption of Mt and the C2+P2 resources are the ore bodies. Speculative iron ore resources determined by Soviet Equivalent earlier Afghan-Soviet teams were Ore type Mt Ore Fe % S % category classification 7.2Mt (Abdullah et al. 2008). A Measured or proven Oxidized ore 9.1 62.52 0.14 Panjshir Iron Ore B Measured or proven Oxidized ore 19.2 62.69 0.09 The Panjshir iron occurrences C1 Indicated or probable Oxidized ore 65.1 62.15 0.13 and deposits are hosted by Proterozoic metamorphic C1 Indicated or probable Primary ore 16.2 61.3 4.56 carbonate and volcanic rocks. The C1 Indicated or probable Fragmental ore 1.2 60.62 0.08 iron deposits are both hematite- C2 Inferred or possible All ore types 314.3 magnetite, siderite-magnetite, and ferruginous quartzite types. C2 Inferred or possible Fragmental ore 8.6 The hematite-magnetite type P2 Hypothetical resources All ore types 1,333.3 is the most common deposit. The deposits of the siderite- P2 Hypothetical resources Fragmental ore 8.6 hematite (ferrocarbonate) in the Total 1,769.9 Panjsher Valley subarea are thick and extensive bed-shaped Table 2. Reserves and Resources of the Hajigak deposit (Kusov et al., 1965) lenticular bodies or pods of

18 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Iron Ores

siderite-hematite that are as Khana iron ore prospect contains of Proterozoic age with an area of much as 30 m thick and several 45 deposits identified to date. 0.3km2 (Abdullah et al. 2008). kilometers long. These orebodies The total is estimated, assuming Abdullah also records an occur in Proterozoic carbonate a conservative, uniform width of occurrence at Mangasak, Maydan rocks, and examples are present 50m, to contain some 68 million Province, where a zone of 50 to in the Panjsher River basin in tons with average of 47.6% Fe and 100m thick and 1,200m long with the Panjsher Valley area. The a maximum of 55.91%. lenses and veinlets of magnetite, principal constituents of the ores has been found in carbonates, at are hematite and siderite. Tol Valley Iron Ore: The Tol Valley the contact between Proterozoic iron ore deposit is located gneiss and schist. In Badakhshan The inferred reserves of iron in Parian district of Panjshir Province in NE Afghanistan, at ore from the deposits of this province, about 60 km from the Zanif, hematite lenses, 2 to 50m group have been estimated to be center of province and 180 km thick and extending for 20 to hundreds of million metric tons. from Kabul province. Survey and 250m, have been found in a fault However, the Noqra khana iron geological mapping and sampling zone at the contact between ore deposit is estimated to have have yielded 54 hematite deposits marble and schist and gneiss of 68 million tons and the Dara-e with an average grade of 47.56% Proterozoic age. The iron ore Tol about 34 million tons of iron Fe and a maximum of 59.98%. grades 30 to 40% Fe. These resources. Based on the studies, The deposits cover an area occurrences extend the area of 49 blocks and hematite mineral of some 284,700 m2 and the interest for iron ore in Proterozoic appearances were determined. resource has been estimated, over rocks and deserve further Hematite that are as much as 30 a conservative, uniform width exploration as part of a m thick and several kilometers 50m at 34 million tons. countrywide search for further long. These orebodies occur in resources. Proterozoic carbonate rocks. Based on Lab analysis the Other Deposit Types percentages of FeO is 47,8%. Other areas There are a number of skarn- Two occurrences of hematite type iron deposits related to Noqra Khana Iron Ore: Noqra mineralization have been Oligocene and older intrusions Khana iron ore is located in reported in Proterozoic rocks in in Afghanistan but these are Parian district of Panjshir Herat Province in the west of generally small (<1Mt) and not province with a distance of 65 Afghanistan (Fig. 1). At Chashma- of economic interest. However, km from Gulbahar and 180 km i-Reg a zone of hematite in Badakhshan at Syahjar, from Kabul province. A geological mineralization, 300 metres wide Furmoragh, Duzakh Darah and and mapping survey has been and extending for 2km was Kalawch (Abdullah, 2008) small conducted for 20 km2 on the recorded in sandstone and prospects with speculative specified mine area, and sampling limestone of Proterozoic age, and resources of 35 to 100Mt have has been done to determine at Bande-i-Sarakh hematite been identified but their narrow presence of any other minerals mineralization was observed in a thickness and discontinuity gives in iron ore in the area. The Noqra fault zone in shattered limestone them little potential.

19 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 magnitude 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 reflectance 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 extension 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 wavelengths. 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 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

Calcite and montmorillonite REFERENCES CITED

68° Pyrophyllite (alunite may be present)

Jarosite (muscovite may be present) COLOR COMPARISON CHART

Buddingtonite Serpentine

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°

Introduction Phosphorus, in the form of discovery of commercial phosphate, is essential to the phosphate deposits. Afghanistan is situated on the growth of plants, and phosphate junction between the Indo- is an important component in Phosphate deposits are found in two Australian and Eurasian crustal man-made fertilizers. Agriculture very different geological settings: plates and is composed of a series is very important in the Afghan of terranes (Figure 1) that broke economy and 70-80% of the a. Sedimentary deposits away from the main Gondwana population work in this sector. provide about 80% of the supercontinent before colliding Imported fertilizers are important world’s phosphate production with and being accreted on to the in maintaining and increasing and consist of accumulations Eurasian plate. The accretionary farm production. A domestic of apatite formed by biological events started in the Cretaceous source of phosphate rock would activity. and have continued until recent be important in improving times. The Herat or Hari Rod fault, Afghanistan’s agricultural b. Igneous deposits provide which runs E-W across central productivity and reducing its about 20% of global phosphate Afghanistan, marks the boundary dependence on imports. production and are associated between Eurasia to the north and At the present time there are with alkaline igneous rocks, the first of these accretionary no phosphate rock mines particularly carbonatite terranes, the Farad block, to the or advanced prospects in complexes, where apatite is an south; the intervening Paleo- Afghanistan and this brochure important constituent. Tethys Ocean having been assesses the potential for subducted under the Eurasian exploration and suggests continent. prospective areas for the Sedimentary Phosphate Deposits

Sedimentary phosphate deposits can form in two different sedimentary environments:

• Type I on the continental shelf platforms or slopes, where upwelling, phosphorus-rich, cold- currents stimulate high organic productivity;

• Type II in estuaries and isolated arms of the sea that are fed by phosphorus-bearing river water.

Age of Deposits The isotopic composition of Figure 1. Prospective areas for phosphate rock oxygen in seawater changes with on a colored relief background.

22 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Phosphate

temperature and variation of major prospects, are the Infra- throughout the Alborz Mountains these isotopes in the past can Cambrian, Upper Devonian and and its thickness ranges from 0.6 be used to show in the ratio how Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene. to7.0m. The black phosphorites the climate has changed (Figure The Infra-Cambrian of northern consist of rounded pellets and 2). Formation of sedimentary Pakistan and India has a number reworked clasts of chemically phosphate deposits has occurred of deposits, for example the Kakul precipitated apatite and reworked throughout the Earth’s history but mine, Hazara basin, NW Pakistan. coprolites, bone fragments and can be correlated with periods In Iran the major deposit at grains of phosphatic siltstones of global seawater warming Jayrud in the Alborz Mountains (Figure 3). The mineralization in the Cambrian-Ordovician, of Iran is of Upper Devonian age is interpreted as the product of Upper Devonian, Permian, and and younger phosphate prospects upgrading in a shallow water Cretaceous-Paleogene. are found in the Cretaceous of the environment of primary low Zagros Mountains. grade source materials. The phosphate horizon grades between 10 to 25% P O and has Paleogeographic situation 2 5 Vendian & Lower Cambrian an estimated potential resource Phosphate deposition occurs in of 12 million tons of phosphate at warm latitudes, mostly between Vendian and Lower Cambrian 22.5 % P2O5 and 34 million tons the 40th parallels. The formation rocks are restricted to the Kabul of phosphate rock at a grade of of sedimentary phosphate Block and the Argandab Zone 11.5% P2O5. deposits is highly dependent of central and south-eastern on ocean currents, which are Afghanistan (Figure 1). The Abdullah et al. (1980) describe controlled by the distribution of stratigraphy of these areas the sedimentary rocks of Late continents and seas. Therefore, has similarities with those of Devonian - Early Carboniferous plate tectonic processes have had India and Pakistan and they in Afghanistan as a sequence of a strong effect on the location of are prospective for phosphate. grey and dark clastic limestones, phosphate deposits throughout However, their areal extent is dolomites, sandstones and the geological history. Many small and much disrupted by siltstones, which were deposited deposits occur in zones that were folding and faulting. The Aynak in a shallow water environment. once along continental margins. copper deposit is hosted by The rocks are frequently very In the Southern Asia region Vendian-Lower Cambrian rocks of fossiliferous, and the thicknesses of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan the Loy Khwar Series and detailed and India favorable periods exploration for phosphatic rocks Figure 3. Polished section of black for phosphate deposition, should be undertaken in the phosphorite with rounded pellets and shown by worked deposits or general vicinity. reworked clasts (Jeyrud mine, Iran).

Upper Devonian In Iran the sedimentary phosphate deposits are hosted by rocks of the Late Devonian Geirud Formation in the Alborz Mountains, which are comprised of sandstones, ferruginous limestones and subordinate black shales (Salehi, 1989). The Figure 2. Global seawater temperatures in the phosphate horizon, found at Phanerozoic estimated from oxygen isotope the base of the Upper Devonian composition. series, is widely distributed

23 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Phosphate

of the Upper Devonian Lower Herat Province. The phosphate complexes are also invariably Carboniferous sequences range mineralization is found in a located close to or within regional between 200 and 800m. Their sedimentary unit of sandstones, linear fracture zones. extent is shown in Figure 1. limestones and dark grey shales Exploration should be at the base of Upper Cretaceous concentrated in the Upper rocks. The mineralization Khanneshin Carbonatite Devonian beds, which are consists of a 0.3 to 1m thick the stratigraphic analogue of horizon, comprised of irregular Complex the Iranian Alborz Mountain phosphate nodules measuring The igneous alkaline complex is sequence. between 0.5 and 6 cm. The of Early Quaternary age and is a nodules contain up to 5% of strongly eroded strato-volcano, it non-phosphate inclusions such consists of tuff, agglomerate and as glauconite and quartz and subvolcanic carbonatitic igneous Permian the nodules are cemented by rocks. The main carbonatite Abdullah (1980) records carbonate-phosphate material, rock types are soevite, barite phosphorite bearing polymictic which also contains about 20% ankerite-fluorite carbonatite sandstones in Permian rocks of non-phosphate material, namely and associated tuff, alvikite and the Warw zone, of northernmost glauconite. Throughout the whole associated agglomerate and tuff. Badakhshan, where Permian horizon, phosphatised fossils The alkaline igneous rocks have rocks form a wedge-shaped fault such as ammonites, bivalves high concentrations of rare earth block, 50km long and from 2 to and gastropods are found. The elements, uranium, strontium, 7km in wide. The phosphorite grade of the phosphate horizon is fluorine, phosphorous, niobium, bed occurs near the top of the between 6.2 to 9.7 % P2O5. and lead. fossiliferous sequence in the Darrah-i-Begaw valley, Darwaz This phosphate occurrence Phosphate is present as district. No other information is needs to be geologically mapped, apatite, which is common in given and no analysis published. re-sampled and traced along the Khanneshin carbonatite strike using a field geochemical complex. The major apatite colorimetric method, which concentrations are in xenoliths was very successful in locating composed of magnetite-apatite, Upper Cretaceous and phosphate occurrences in Iran. and in alvikite, which grades 8.3%

Paleogene P2O5. According to Eriomenko and Chmyriov (1975), there are 8 Favorable conditions for apatite-mineralized zones in the phosphate deposition are met Igneous Phosphate carbonatite complex. Carbonatite during this period in Afghanistan. Deposits phosphate rocks can contain During late cretaceous time in deleterious concentrations of Northern Afghanistan, there Alkaline igneous rocks and other metals, such as uranium was a continental margin with carbonatites can contain and REE, and may not be a shallow marine shelf platform workable quantities of phosphate suitable for fertiliser production. environment (Schreiber et al., 1972) minerals, generally fluor- Exploration for further located between the 0° and 40° apatite, and these are mined, for carbonatites or alkali syenites northern paleolatitudes example, at Siilinjärvi, Finland; should be concentrated adjacent The Upper Cretaceous Phalaborwa, South Africa; and to Khanneshin (USGS permissive sedimentary sequence was Khibiny Complex, Kola Peninsula, tract, Figures 1), along the Chaman deposited under a transgressive Russia. Most of the igneous linear fracture zone and in the marine regime and a sedimentary complexes are characterised Lower Quaternary Dashte Nawer phosphate occurrence is known by assemblages of alkali-rich Series volcanic rocks (Figure in Afghanistan at Kotal-i- intermediate and ultrabasic 1). Evidence of carbonatite Sebzak (34°39'30"N, 69°09'E), in rocks and carbonatite, and the activity has been observed in the

24 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Phosphate

Figure 4. Geological map of the Khanneshin carbonatite. volcanics and a ten-metre horizon Resource in Afghanistan of trachyandesite-dacite tuff with up to 30 in carbonate content was At the present time the only found to outcrop in fragments identified resource of phosphate within an area of a few dozen sq. rock is at Khanneshin with km (Abdullah, 1980). the alvikite grading 8.3% P2O5. However, the neighbouring countries of Iran and Pakistan Loe Shilman have identified economic deposits of both sedimentary and igneous Pakistan Border origin and there are indications Carbonatite bodies not only that similar deposits are present occur as circular, plug- like in Afghanistan. bodies but also as tabular bodies in fold zones. The Loe Shilman Summary of the potential for carbonatite lies in Pakistan, Phosphate Rock in Afghanistan 50 km north-west of Peshawar, • Demand for 1Mt of phosphate immediately adjacent to the excess neutralize sulphuric Afghanistan border (Hasan and acid from Aynak Asrarullah, 1989). The complex • Demand for phosphate is of Tertiary age and is hosted to neutralize sulphuric by Paleozoic metasediments acid from S produced by of the Landi Kotal Formation. desulphurization of sour The carbonatite contains an gas and sour oil in northern estimated resource of about 200 Afghanistan Mt of phosphate ore to a depth of • Potential igneous phosphate

200m, grading 5% P2O5. Further resources at Khanneshin exploration should be carried out grading 8.3 % P2O5 to ascertain the grade and extent • Good potential for the of the carbonatite on the Afghan discovery of sedimentary side of the border. phosphate rock in the Upper Devonian and Cretaceous sequences, and, possibly, in the Infra-Cambrian and Permian.

25 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN MAGNESITE/TALC

Introduction 1970’s demonstrated the potential has a different lithostratigraphy, of the area and estimated metamorphosis and tectonic The Achin magnesite deposit resources for the Achin magnesite evolution. The Springhare block is occurs in Nangarhar Province at talc deposit to 66 million tonnes of composed of dominantly the northern foot of the east-west magnesite and 5.5 million tonnes Proterozoic crust and Lower trending Spinghar Range of of talc. Paleozoic cover sequences. The mountains, 70km SE of the Nuristan block has similar Jalalabad. The deposit is located at structures to the Spinghar block 34°03’N and 70°43’E about 10 km Geology of Eastern but is more strongly affected by south of Achin, a small village with Oligocene granite plutonism. Its a population of several hundred. Afghanistan crust is composed of Proterozoic Generally, the deposit can be metasedimentary rock sequences divided into two distinct parts. The eastern part of Afghanistan is and Proterozoic intrusions The northwestern unit is composed of the Spinghar, Kunar, covered by Palaeozoic-Mesozoic composed of a large, oval-shaped Nuristan blocks and the Katawaz successions. The Kunar block, magnesite body accompanied by basin. The Achin deposit is located north-east of the Spinghar several small ones. The south- located in the Spinghar block in block, is characterized by Late eastern part consists of several, eastern part of Afghanistan near Palaeozoic to Early Mesozoic relatively small, lensoid magnesite the Pakistan border (Figure 1). The sedimentary sequences which are and talc bodies, which are Spinghar block forms the western cut by Lower Triassic intrusions of elongated in NW-SE direction. The extremity of the Lesser Himalayas granodiorite and granite. Outcrops host rocks of the magnesite and zone, which lies immediately to in the Katawaz basin consists of talc bodies are Proterozoic meta- the north of the Main Boundary clay, shale, sandstone and sedimentary and metavolcanic Thrust of the Indo-Pakistan Plate. conglomerate with sporadic mafic rocks, predominantly dolomitic The Spinghar, Kunar, Nuristan volcanic rocks predominantly of marble. A general study in the blocks and the Katawaz basin each Paleocene and Eocene age.

Figure 1. Tectonic sketch of Afghanistan showing major blocks and faults, and the outline of the area shown in Figure 2.

26 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Magnesite

Geology of the by a thick metasedimentary diabase. The Upper Group (Late Achin area sequence of the Middle Group Palaeoproterozoic) crops out at the (Middle Palaeoproterozoic), which northern foot of the Spinghar The Achin deposit is located in the consists of mainly dark-grey Mountains. And consists of a Spinghar block, which consists to grey biotite-garnet-graphite monotonous sequence of grey, of rocks of Palaeoproterozoic, schist and schistose amphibolite dark-grey to black biotite-garnet- Ordovician and Silu-rian- with intercalations of quartzite, staurolite metamorphosed schist Devonian age (Figure 2). The andesite, basalt, and amphibolite with sporadic intercalation of ca. 2000 Ma Palaeoproterozoic bodies. Pyrrhotite occurs in marble. The boundary between complex, also called the “Lower minor amounts in the quartzite the Middle and Upper Groups Complex” by Lednev (1977), and amphibolite bodies of this is marked by an angular is composed of three groups sequence. discordance. In the eastern part (Figure 4). The Lower Group (Early of the area, Ordovician sequence Palaeoproterozoic) is situated In addition, the Middle Group of siltstone, phyllitic shale and in the anticlinal core of the includes dolomitic marble sandstone with common lensoid, Spinghar block and it crops bodies, 50-100 to 400-600 metres dark-grey metamorphosed out predominantly in the thick, which contain magnesite limestone bodies is overlain by western part of the mountains. and talc mineralisation in their carbonate formation of Silurian- It consists mainly of dark-grey upper part. The group is cut Devonian age. to grey fine-grained limonitic by Proterozoic gneiss-granite, quartzite alternating with granite, and migmatite and by biotite flaser- and leaf-gneisses. Proterozoic ortho-amphibolite, Mineralization The Lower Group is overlain gabbro-amphibolite, and gabbro- The Achin magnesite deposit is composed of stratiform lenses and layers (Figure 3). In addition to magnesite, the deposit also contains talc and dolomite. On the basis of summary mineralogical and chemical analysis there are two types of magnesite-rock:

Table 1. Sparry and medium grained crystalline magnesite, 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% Calcite 0.1-0.2%

Table 2. Sparry crystalline magnesite, often with talc, recrys tallized, dolomitized with marked admixture of fine grained Magnesite (I. and II. generation) 80-90 % Talc 10-15% Dolomite 2-4 % Calcite 0.3-0.5 %

Figure 2. Regional geology of Eastern Afghanistan with the location of Achin.

27 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Magnesite

Figure 3. Detailed geological map and cross sections of the Achin magnesite deposit.

28 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Magnesite

Exploration Components Ore Bodies evaporitic conditions, but later Magnesite Magnesite altered to magnesite, by reaction The first geological observations Body 1 Body 2 with Mg-bearing, hypersaline in the area were carried out by C.L. brines derived from seawater. MgO From 40.01 40.10 Griesbach during 1880-1892, who The Achin deposit includes two sketched a geological map of the To 47.12 46.57 generations of magnesite. Initially Spinghar Range. Mean 43.86 43.68 laminated and structureless, micritic magnesite replaced SiO From 0.10 1.71 The magnesite and talc deposits 2 primary dolomite during early first became known in the 1920’s To 25.00 12.59 diagenesis before the major phase when artisanal mining of talc in Mean 5.38 5.89 of burial. Late in the diagenetic/ the Achin deposit started. The metamorphic history crystalline CaO Achin deposit was then known as From 0.10 0.30 and coarsely crystalline magnesite the Tanga deposit and for a long To 8.10 7.51 replaced the micritic magnesite. period it was not the object of Mean 2.58 2.19 serious research and prospecting. It is thought that the magnesite R O The Achin deposit was studied in 2 3 From 0.10 0.40 bodies were not derived by detail during the 1970’s by Afghan To 0.93 1.40 carbonation of serpentinite bodies and Soviet geologists who wrote Mean 0.87 0.82 or by deposition from ground a number of reports on the area. waters derived by surface These reports are documented Insoluble From 0.97 6.64 weathering of serpentinite. in HCl in a final report (V.V. Lednev, To 37.84 14.40 Remaining 1977), which is archived in the Solid (Talc) Mean 8.03 9.33 Afghanistan Geological Survey. Future Development The Afghan-Soviet work included Table 1. two adits (adit No.1 - 340m; and Chemical composition of the two The earlier exploration as No.2 - 281m), 39 trenches on a magnesite bodies described above was very detailed grid of 80-120m and a surface and comprehensive in nature. One Note: geological mapping survey Values were calculated from selected main body of the Achin deposit (Figure 3). samples with more than 40% MgO. is very attractive for open-pit mining. It is situated at the north- sequence of stromatolites in a western part of the deposit, complex mix of shallow-marine dips at 60° to 75° to the south Metallogenetic model and non-marine, evaporitic and has a constant thickness of The magnesite bodies are hosted environments (Melezhik et approximately 120m the south- by dolomitic marbles and form a al., 2001). The depositional eastern part of the Achin deposit series of 1 to 120m-thick bodies environment is thought to be is composed of several magnesite within the approximately 2000 similar to the Holocene magnesite bodies and talc veins, which are Ma (Middle Palaeoproterozoic) deposit at Lake Walyungup, roughly Parallel to the bedding formation of the Spinghar Australia coastal playa magnesite in the host dolomitic marble. block. These marbles are due to described by Coshell et al., This part of the deposit is rich greenschist to amphibolite grade (1998). In this sabkha to playa- in talc and the magnesite bodies metamorphism. The marbles lake environment primary have irregular lensoid shapes. A are considered to be an altered dolomite was deposited under number of resource calculations

29 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Magnesite

Soviet Length Width Height Projection Volume Resources Body Category m m m plane m2 m3 Mt

No.1 B-I 440 136 69 30,160 4.1 9.3

No.1 C1-I 660 118 84 55,330 6.5 15.5

No.1 C2-I 820 118 147 120,160 14.2 33.7

No.2 C2-I 320 21 140 44,880 1.0 2.6

No.2 C2-II 565 44 90 50,840 2.2 5.1

Explanation: Bodies 1 and 2 shown on Figure 3. Total 28.0 66.2

B-I category - measured or proved; C1-I category - indicated or probable; C2-I and C2-II - inferred or possible resources.

Table 2. Summary of resources of the Achin deposit. (Source: Lednev, 1977) were carried out to Soviet standards (Table 2) but these do not easily conform to modern western resource classifications.

Summary of the Achin Deposit

- Estimated resources of 66 million tonnes of magnesite and 5.5 million tonnes of talc

- One main magnesite body and a

number of smaller lenses

- Amenable to open pitting

- Convenient location for transport by road to Pakistan (30km to border at Torkham)

30 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN CHROMITE

Geological Setting the Herat fault zone, which Background marks the middle Afghanistan Afghanistan has a complex suture. Shortly afterwards, the Volin (1950) evaluated ten known geology due to its position on Helmand block collided with chromite bodies in the Logar the junction between the Indo- the Farad block to form the ultramafic body, using surface Australasian and Eurasian crustal central Afghanistan massif. The mapping and sampling and a plates. Its geology is composed exotic Kabul block was accreted limited programme of shallow of a series of terranes that against this massif, and finally diamond drilling. He also broke away during the Triassic, the collision of the Indo-Pakistan calculated reserve figures based at around 250 million years plate against these blocks formed on the results of this drilling. ago, from the main Gondwana the main mountain ranges of the Hunger (1955a and b) recorded supercontinent before colliding, Hindukush and the Himalayas. two further chromite localities. with each other, or with the The lines of the sutures between Siebdrat (1971) undertook further Eurasian plate. Ultimately, all the the accreted blocks are marked surface mapping of the ultramafic terranes became successively by remnants of the oceanic crust, rocks of the Logar Valley, and he accreted onto the southern which formerly underlay the identified 18 chromite localities in margin of the Eurasian plate. The Palaeotethys and Tethys oceans the Logar ophiolite (Figure 2). accretionary events began in the and these are now seen as lines of Cretaceous and have continued ultramafic rocks of ophiolite type Abdullah (1980) in his until recent times. At some stage (Figure 1). comprehensive review of the in the early Cretaceous there is geology and mineral occurrences evidence of a collision of one of of Afghanistan catalogued 15 these blocks, the Farad block, areas of chromite mineralization with the Eurasian plate, along scattered throughout the country, most in the Logar Valley, south of 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 Kandahar Province associated with Early Cretaceous ultramafic rocks. Chromite grains were also observed in concentrates from Kandahar Province collected by the Russian reconnaissance surveys.

Figure 1. Tectonic sketch of Afghanistan showing the major sutures and the location of ophiolitic rocks and basic intrusions on a shaded relief background.

31 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Chromite

The Logar Resource Assessment irregular-shaped masses of Ophiolite The chromite deposits of the dominantly massive chromitite. Logar Valley (Figure 2) occur in Textural variations are few The largest and best-known two main groups about 10km with minor development of chromite deposits in Afghanistan apart, all bar two being on the patchy ‘leopard skin’ type ores. are in the Logar Valley in the west side of the valley. The The largest deposit (No.5 of Muhammed Agha District northern cluster is within 5km Volin) comprises two lenses, about 35km south of Kabul. The north-west of Muhammad Agha. one 97.5m long and up to 10m Logar ophiolite complex has an The southern cluster is close to wide and the other 65m long ellipsoidal outcrop, elongated Karez-Sha-Ghazi, about 10km and up to 5m wide. Most of the in a north-westerly direction, south of Muhammad Agha. All are other deposits are considerably about 65km long and up to 45km within easy reach of Kabul via the smaller. The margins of the wide. The external contacts are surfaced Kabul-Gardez road. chromite bodies are sharp, mostly tectonic: the steep-dipping These deposits were studied in knife-edge and generally north-south Pagman Fault forms detail by the U.S. Bureau of Mines highly irregular in form, rarely the western contact, while to the (USBM) in 1949-50. Volin made planar. Immediate wallrocks east and south-east the complex investigations aimed at are generally serpentinised and is bounded by the Altimur Fault. estimating reserves of chromite show development of a close- To the north the Abparan Thrust ore of suitable quality for the spaced planar fabric/fracturing separates the allochthonous prevailing market conditions. parallel to the contact with the ultramafic rocks from the No exploration for additional chromitite. The USBM exploration autochthonous rocks of the Kabul deposits was carried out. programme included mapping Block. and sampling outcrops, trenching The largest part of the ophiolite Subsequent reassessment by in shallow overburden, sampling comprises ultramafic rocks in the German Geological Mission by shallowercussion drilling and a sequence up to about 2,800m (Siebdrat, 1971) increased Volin’s the drilling of 27 diamond drill thick. The basal part comprises estimates by a significant amount, holes with an aggregate length about 2,400m of dunite and but it is unclear whether this was of 975m. The diamond drilling subordinate harzburgite, overlain based on any additional drilling tested three of the largest deposits by a thick pyroxenite about 200m or new geophysical data. on surface and a small high grade thick with minor intercalated The chromite deposits consist deposit, all in the northern cluster dunite at its base. This passes up of massive lenses, pods and of deposits. Volin estimated a into a thin unit of troctolite and pyroxenite, passing up into a 50 m thick gabbronorite. The chromite bodies occur predominantly in the harzburgite within small dunite pods according to Siebdrat (Fig 2).

Figure 2. 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).

32 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Chromite

total resource of 181,000 tonnes, Concentrations of PGE in the Kabul Block Northern Part concentrated in three deposits Logar chromitites are low with (1, 2 and 5). Of this about 15% maxima of 6.5ppb and 5.5ppb North-East of Kabul another (27,000 metric tonnes) is high grade palladium. Rhodium values ophiolite complex was obducted metallurgical ore with 55.9% are relatively high, with two onto the Kabul Block and is

Cr2O3 and Cr:Fe ratio of 3.5:1. samples exceeding 10ppb. In named the Kohi Safi Complex The remainder of the estimated dunites, platinum and Pd values after the district it is found resource contains less than 45% are generally <10ppb, although (Figure 3). The Jurgati chromite

Cr2O3 and high levels of Al2O3. 92% one sample LGR 012 contains occurrence is located in Parwan of the total resource occurs in the the maximum reported values province about 45km N.N.E. of three largest deposits (2, 5 and of 11.3ppb Pt and 9.4ppb Pd. Kabul near the peak of Sarpokhi 7), and, of these, only deposit 2 The pyroxenite samples have Ghar within the Complex. The contains high-grade ore. relatively high Pt values with an known mineralization is 20m average of 13ppb, whilst they by 30m in size and found in have very low Pd and Rh values. the western part of an Eocene Composition of Logar These observations are based on peridotite (Denikaev and others, Chromite Ore limited data and further sampling 1971). Most chromite exported from would be needed to identify any Afghanistan is handpicked on significant patterns in the data. Chromite mineralization site. Based on 18 such samples and small-scale mining was collected from sites in Logar and reported in 2008 from this area elsewhere in the Kabul Block, by Bräutigam (pers. comm.) but analyses were performed by AGS its areal extent is unknown. staff supervised by GTZ using Compared to the Logar complex, a Niton portable-XRF analyzer Kohi Safi is about ¼ the size but and gave a median content of it has been poorly studied so

35.56% Cr (equivalent to 52% Cr2O3) therefore the economic potential and a Cr/Fe ratio of 4.2 (Table Figure 3. Geological map of the area north is difficult to assess. 4). The statistical distribution of Kabul showing the Jurgati locality and is lognormal and slightly lower favorable prospective areas from Peters et al., than Volin reserve estimate given (2007). above, but higher than the median grade of 44% Cr2O3 for minor podiform deposits given by Albers (1986).

Median 25th 75th Element (%) Percentile Percentile

Chromium 35.56 31.40 37.41 Iron 8.45 8.18 9.68

Table 4. Median and quartile range of Chromium and Iron in Chromitite samples from Logar.

Platinum Group Element Potential of Logar Benham et al. (2009) published the only recent analyses of Platinum Group Elements (PGE) in rocks of the Logar Complex.

33 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Chromite

Figure 4. Chromite localities in Khost province. Prospective areas from Peters et al., (2007) on a background of the geological map and shaded relief.

Khost and Paktia The massive chromite lenses have minor olivine grains, and assay

Sperkay chromite occurrence 44.36% Cr2O3. Nitikin and others just west of Teragharay near (1973) speculate that the chromite the border with Khost Province, resource is about 4,000 tonnes. consists of ten massive chromite bodies are found in Eocene Summary of the Chromite and peridotite (Figure 4). PGE potential of Afghanistan The chromite bodies are as much as 110m long and 1 to 10m thick. - A large number of small deposits They assay from 43.11 to 53.48% have been worked at surface

Cr2O3 and from 5.57 to 7.23% Fe. Shandal (Shodal) chromite - There is a large potential for the occurrence is south west of discovery of further deposits at Teragharay and is about a surface and at deeper levels kilometre south of Sperkay. It consists of 34 known chromite- - The PGE potential has been bearing lenses ranging from 3 largely untested but grains of PGE to 40m in length and 0.2 to 0.4m minerals have been discovered thick plus thin veinlets with disseminated chromite. All the - Exploration for PGE should be chromite-bearing lenses occur in focussed on areas with sulphide Eocene peridotite. minerals

34 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN PORPHYRY CU-MO-AU

Background Afghanistan hosts two belts highly mineralization (Figure 2). The zone prospective for porphyry style is at least 2 metres thick but as Afghanistan is endowed with rich mineralization. These belts cut much of it is concealed by thick mineral resources due to its central and SE Afghanistan landslide debris and recent favorable geologic evolution passing into the Hindu Kush and sediments, the extent of it could dominated by, since the start of southern Pamir (Figure 1). not be determined. This was the the Mesozoic, ‘terrane’ fragments first significant discovery of of Gondwanaland drifting north molybdenite in the Northern Cu and colliding with the Eurasian Molybdenite in Bamyan Porphyry Belt. Further fieldwork Plate. Globally, one of the most Province in summer and fall of 2011 important types of mineral revealed molybdenite associated deposits associated with During recent fieldwork by staff of with the upper Triassic (T3) subduction complexes and the Afghanistan Geological Survey granitoids, 5km to the east of the continental collisions are (AGS) in the southwest reaches of brecciated zone. At two locations porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposits. the Saighan valley in Bamyan (Figure 3, points 1 and 2), Often these deposits are large in Province, local villagers told them disseminated molybdenite is resources but modest in ore grade of an exposure of soft metallic hosted in quartz-monzonite/ and they account for world mineral after a recent landslide. granodiorite stocks (Figure 4). production of more than 60% Upon investigation the AGS team copper, 95% molybdenum and identified a quartz-feldspar 20% gold. brecciated zone containing Northern Copper extensive molybdenite Porphyry Belt

60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E The northern belt is the western

" "" " extension of the Alborz Island Arc " Balkhab " occurring from Herat to Panjshir, . " BADAKHSHAN " along the Hindu Kush in " KUNDUZ JAWZJAN TAKHAR BALKH N Afghanistan. " 0 ' N

" Ahankashan 0 ° 0 ' 6 0 3 ° FARYAB " 6 SAMANGAN 3 " BAG"HL"AN " SARI PUL " "" " " " " " "" PARWAN NURISTAN BADGHIS " KAPISA KUNAR LAGHMAN BAMYAN " Legend " Shaida """K""A"B"U"L" """""" "" WARDAK """"""" NANGARHAR " "" " HIRAT " " Provinces LOGAR GHOR """ " " "" "" " """

" Faults N

" "

PAKTYA Aynak 0 N

" '

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

" 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

35 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au

Southern Copper approximately 50km distance Triassic to Lower Jurassic age. The Porphyry Belt from the juncture of Saighan River oldest sedimentary units in the with Dari Shikari River (Figure 2) area are limestones and dolomites The southern belt is an extension along which a railroad is planned of Carboniferous and Permian age of the Zagros Island Arc. This belt to be built as part of the Aynak (Figure 2). These are is exposed in the Chagai Hills in copper development project. At unconformably overlain by Pakistan, and extends northwards the moment information is being Middle-Upper Triassic (T2-3) through Helmand and Khandahar collected for the feasibility study sandstones, siltstones and in the south to Ghazni and Zabul of the railroad project by the mudstones and Upper Cretaceous in central Afghanistan. developer of the Aynak copper and Paleocene (K2-P1) limestones Comprehensive reviews of deposit. The anticipated railroad and dolomites. The Middle-Upper Afghanistan Porphyry Belts is will connect Afghanistan with the Triassic and Cretaceous rocks given in Kafarskiy et al. 19751 and Central Asian Republics and major form a NE-SW trending anticline by Peters et al 2007. ports on the Indian Ocean. structure in the area of molybdenum mineralization, Location Geology intersected by series of faults (Figure 2). Granodiorite stocks that The prospective area is located According to the 1:500,000 scale host the molybdenum about 45km northwest of the city geological map of Afghanistan occurrences are not shown on the of Bamyan, capital of Bamyan published by the USGS in 2007 1:500,000 geological map. Province. The province also hosts and based on the original Soviet the world-class Hajigak Iron ore map of 1977, the granitoids Based on field observations, the deposit and abundant coal (granodiorite, granosyenite, and Saighan area has high potential resources (Figures 1, 2 and 3). quartz monzonite) that host the for the discovery of economic The area of molybdenum porphyry copper and porphyry copper, gold and mineralization occurs molybdenum are of Upper molybdenum deposits. In

Figure 2. Location of Saighan molybdenum and other mineral projects.

36 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au

addition, there are halos of heavy Resource Estimation fraction assessment that indicated presence of bismuth, copper and A preliminary estimate of other metals. molybdenum resources was made by applying outcrop dimensions In addition to the molybdenum (4,300m length, 300m width) and a mineralization, 10km to the depth of 200m (taking into account northwest of the area, there are that the granite stock continues at a artisanal excavation tunnels (up to depth of 200m) and applying an 30m long) indicating gold mining average concentration of 0.08% in the recent past, exploiting Mo in the ore. auriferous quartz veins at the site. Area in Block Specification in Fig. 2

Area (4,500*3) 1,350,000 m2

Depth 200 metres

Volume 270,000,000 m3 Specific weight of MoS 10.22 grams/cm3 Molybdenum in ore 0.08%

Table 1. Saighan Molybdenum Resources

Figure 3. Quartz-monzonite mass with 15% disseminated molybdenite, Saighan.

37 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 wavelengths. These absorptions result from electronic processes in the minerals. A complementary map showing the distribution of selected carbonates, phyllosilicates, sulfates, altered minerals, and other materials having diagnostic absorptions 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 discernible 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, variations 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 reflectance 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 extension 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 wavelengths. 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 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°

Chlorite

Fe3+, type 1

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

Background epithermal gold, not sought by the terranes became accreted onto the Soviet-Afghan teams, and have southern margin of the Eurasian Gold has been worked in been largely unexplored. plate. The final closure of the Afghanistan from ancient times Neo-Tethys Ocean between the and small-scale artisanal mining The reports of the earlier Soviet Indo-Pakistan and Eurasian plates is still being carried out on placer exploration are now available in produced the Himalayan orogeny. gold deposits in Takhar Province. Kabul. BGS and USGS have During this oblique collision There are a number of other published summaries of the NW-directed subduction occurred prospects, which have been geology and re-interpreted the beneath the Tirin-Argandab zone evaluated by Soviet and Afghan earlier data in the light of remote and a number of calc-alkaline teams in the 1970’s and there is a sensed information (Peters et al., granite bodies were intruded, high probability that some of these 2007 and 2011). accompanied by porphyry copper- could be developed into working gold mineralisation of the Tethyan mines. Improved exploration Afghanistan has a complex Metallogenic Belt (TMB). Further methods and modern geology due to its position on the north in Badakhshan there are a metallogenetic models, coupled junction between the Indo- number of prospects and with knowledge that Afghanistan Pakistan and Eurasian crustal occurrences of metamorphic lode lies on a continuation of the plates. Its geology is composed of gold in areas of Hercynian and Tethyan Metallogenic Belt, have a series of terranes that broke later Cimmerian folding. This greatly improved the potential of away from the main Gondwana zone may extend southward into the country. Several areas of the Supercontinent before colliding, Parwan as shown in Figure 1 and country have potential for new with each other or, with the even further to the west associated deposit types, such as fine-grained Eurasian Plate. Ultimately, all the with folding related to the closure of Palaeo-Tethys along the Herat terrane boundary.

Figure 1. Gold occurrences in Afghanistan on a low-resolution Landsat image, with areas of enhanced gold and mercury potential (after Peters et al., 2007).

40 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

Orogenic Gold Deposits DEPOSIT PROFILE 1

Deposit Name Vekadur Potential for shear-zone vein-gold mineralisation exists along the Location Badakhshan Province major trans-crustal structural Deposit Style Orogenic / Metamorphic lode gold breaks representing remnant Host geology Silicified and ochreous brecciated schist, diabase and keratophyre dykes in vicinity (Proterozoic) terrane collisional boundaries. Ore minerals Gold, arsenopyrite, galena, chalcopyrite and scheelite Gold potential also occurs within Deposit geology Podiform orebody average 2m thick and 300m extent. Traced for 100m down dip Phanerozoic rocks in moderate Estimated Resources 960 kg contained gold at grade of 4.1g/t Au, 46.7g/t Ag to gently dipping fault/suture zones related to continental Information: Abdullah et al. 2008; Peters et al. 2011 margin collisional tectonism. the mineralised vein Suture zones characterised by and finding structural ophiolitic remnants between controls on the ore diverse assemblages of island shoot is often the best arcs, subduction complexes technique. No modern and continental margin clastic exploration has been wedges are also prospective. The carried out in the zone of late Hercynian folding Badakhshan region on the eastern end of the North since the 1960’s. Afghan platform, in the provinces of Badakhshan and Takhar, are Other prospective prospective for shear-zone gold districts such as mineralisation, with a number Baharak and Kayzabad of deposits identified to date, as well as having lode including the Vekadur Au-Ag gold deposits, also deposit (Figure 2 and Deposit Profile contain iron skarns 1). The Vekadur gold deposit has some of which contain been explored by five adits, eight gold. The Furmorah pits, and 10 or more trenches pluton is surrounded (Gugenev et al., 1967). The adits by several iron skarns, are excavated from the hanging one of which grades as wall west of the outcrop of the much as 3.3g/t Au. Figure 2. Geological map of the Vekadur vein and tunnel eastward into gold deposit. Red hatched areas are zones the mountain. There is little of crushing and hydrothermal alteration in overburden in the hanging wall Proterozoic quartz-mica (light brown and grey) side of the vein and the deposit and chlorite schists (pale blue) Red outline could be worked as an open pit. shows gold heavy mineral anomalies (after Peters et al., 2011). A number of other occurrences are known in the Ragh District and, like Vekadur, are found in shatter zones containing gold-bearing quartz veins with a low-sulphide mineral content. These features are common to a number of productive cratons where several hundred small deposits of about Figure 3. Afghanistan Geological Survey field one tonne of gold are present as work conducted in 2010 at Furmorah gold structurally controlled stockworks prospect, Fayzabad district, including prospect and massive veins. Such deposits evaluation and trench digging. Photographs by are difficult to find because the the Afghanistan Geological Survey (Figure 3c gold is irregularly distributed in Peters et al., 2011).

41 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

Placer Gold having been used for prospecting the remains of an unused Soviet Small-scale placer gold mining for placer gold in Afghanistan. This bucket drill has been identified at appears to have been conducted is being remedied in 2014 with the the AGS Khair Khana Engineering in the streams and rivers of the introduction of USA drywashers Warehouse. A Soviet-Canadian Hindu Kush for many centuries by the USAID MIDAS project, and data set of more than 1,000 and continues locally today in both making by the Ministry of small boreholes in Mongolia proved the placers and paleoplacers in Takhar recirculating sluices based on a gold recovery of Soviet bucket Province. Reports persist of local USA design that requires minimal drills to be close to 100%, while people putting sheepskins in water. Soviet churn drills usually lost mountain streams in Badakhshan more than 65% of the gold in the Province to serve as fleece sluices Secondly, the Soviet drillers used same wet ground (Grayson 2014). capable of catching fine gold, numerous placer drilling rigs of a Applying the correction factor to reminiscent of tales of the 'Golden single type—Soviet churn drills— the Samti churn drilling indicates Fleece'. that while being the respected that the actual gold resource is industry standard for terraces likely to be in the region of 100 Soviet and Afghan geologists and dryish floodplains are known tonnes, with an in-the-ground undertook the first industrial- to systematically lose most of the value of about 4 billion USD, which scale exploration for placer gold gold when used in waterlogged would rank Samti among the and made some major discoveries ground such as wet floodplains. largest gold dredge projects in the (Galchenko et al., 1972), notably This fact has been known for many world. A limited programme of Samti, Nuruba, Chah-i-Ab and decades in the Russian placer gold repeat drilling by a Russian bucket Jar Bolshi and a large number of industry. drill would suffice to confirm the smaller occurrences (Figure 4). appropriate correction factor to The Soviets withdrew from be applied to the gold grade, so Afghanistan and they did not Samti Gold Dredge enabling the resource envelope mine any placer gold, although Resource to be identified and the dredge they left behind copies of their envelope to be calculated. The meticulous drilling records, An outstanding success was the appropriate method of mining and these are preserved in the systematic proving of a resource of would be a civil engineering extensive Geological Archives of 30 tonnes of placer gold by churn cutter-suction dredge pumping the Afghanistan Geological Survey. drilling on the active floodplain the overburden away to raise flat It is clear the grades and extent of the Amu Darya near the village land several kilometres away of the placer gold has been of Samti in Takhar Province. so creating a large dredge pond underestimated by the Soviet Systematic GIS recalculation of to hold a large mineral dredge geologists due to due to limitations the drilling results of the Samti such as a Russian, Dutch or USA in the Soviet exploration methods: deposit by the United States bucket-line dredge with on-board Geological Survey confirms wash-plant to recover the gold. Firstly, it is apparent the Soviet- the manual Soviet estimated Accordingly a modified German driven exploration effort was resource of 30 tonnes, which is Ruhr grab dredge may be an limited to areas with good water large by current world standards. attractive alternative, having a supplies in order to facilitate wet Nevertheless it is believed to be a reach of more than twice the depth washing of the placer ores by substantial underestimate of the of the placer gold. Finally a large wash-plants such as PgSh sluices true magnitude of the Samti gold civil cutter suction dredge might that require water cannons. resource. be considered, having the merit Accordingly, less than 10% of of wide availability and lower cost, Afghanistan was explored for The heavy gold losses of Soviet albeit at some peril of losing some placer gold. Indeed, no evidence churn drills was familiar to Soviet gold. has been found of drywashers placer geologists, and indeed

42 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

Discovery of Other Deposits of Placer Gold

There is large potential for further discoveries of large placer gold deposits on the Afghan side of the Amu Darya river, as well as discovery of large extensions of the Samti placer itself. Drilling on wet floodplains must only be done with Russian bucket drills to ensure gold grades are reliable and gold losses avoided.

Copper-Gold Porphyry Deposits The Soviet-Afghan teams identified a number of Cu-Au prospects and occurrences in the Tirin-Argandab zone which forms part of the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt (Figure 1) of world-class porphyry copper-gold deposits, which stretches from Europe, through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tibet and into SE Asia. The prospective tracts have been identified by a distinctive group of Cretaceous- Paleocene intrusive rocks that are spatially related to the known Cu skarn deposits and prospects, alteration zones from ASTER and Figure 4. Geological map of northern Takhar showing the distribution of Neogene and aeromagnetic anomalies. Within Quaternary strata and major gold placers (hatched lines). Colored circles are placer gold them two deposits, Zarkashan in occurrences from earlier authors. (Peters et al., 2011). the north and Kundalyan in the south, have been investigated by DEPOSIT PROFILE 2 detailed sampling, trenching and Deposit Name Zarkashan drilling. Location Ghazni Province Deposit Style Porphyry Cu-Au and related Skarn

Host geology Late Triassic dolomites in the contact zones of the Zarkashan gabbro, monzonite and syenite Zarkashan intrusion The Zarkashan area of interest Ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite and gold surrounds the Late Cretaceous- Deposit geology Skarns occur in pockets or as sheetlike deposits. Several ore-bearing zones occur 400– 600m Paleocene Zarkashan diorite, long and 11–75m wide. The richest gold is found in phlogopite skarns granodiorite to adamellite Estimated Resources 7.7t Gold contained in C1 and C2 categories

43 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

Figure 5. Placer gold is a high probability (50%) of one deposit consisting porphyry copper-gold deposit and of alluvial sand and a 10% probability of two deposits. conglomerate of the Panj River. Kundalyan A number of other prospects, The Kundalyan copper-gold such as Zardak, skarn deposit is localized along Dynamite, Choh- a 400-metre long, 1.5km wide i-Surkh and Sufi wide inlier that consists of altered Kademi, around limestone, chert, and skarn (Peters the Zarkashan et al., 2011 after Soviet authors). intrusive are also The chief minerals in the skarn intrusion and consists of a highly prospective for porphyry are pyroxene, garnet, amphibole, number of gold and copper copper gold deposits and worthy phlogopite, and magnetite. occurrences (Figures 6 and 7). The of further investigation. Peters Mineralisation is present both in deposit is hosted by the Triassic et al., (2007) predicted that in the skarn and chert. There are 13 ore and Cretaceous sediments Zarkashan-Kundalyan tract there bodies along the Kundalyan Fault and is associated with garnet- Zone (Figure 8A) that are from vesuvianite-diopside and with 2.65 to 12.3m thick and from 36 irregular zones of diopside skarns. Figure 6. Three-dimensional view of the to 175m long, containing 0.62- The mineralisation consists of Zarkashan copper and gold area of interest 1.2% Cu and 0.5-2.0g/t Au. The chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, showing hyperspectral anomalies surrounding mineralisation is predominately chalcocite, bornite, and native the Zarkashan intrusive (white outline). The chalcopyrite and pyrite and more gold in the hydrothermally altered blue and purple zones represent alteration seldom sphalerite, gray copper skarns. Preliminary exploration, zones with goethite and jarosite. These ore, and enargite. The Category including rock sampling, alteration zones are coincident with anomalous C1+C2 reserves in the Soviet trenching and underground adits, gold areas from earlier Soviet sampling (Peters classification system, are 13,600 t has indicated the presence of et al., 2011). of contained copper and 1.1t gold several ore-bearing zones of 400- 600m long and 1-15m thick, with lenticular and nest-shaped bodies of 1.5-50m long and 0.5- 3.8m thick. Gold mineralisation is traceable for 80m down dip, assaying from 0.10 to 16g/t Au. Category C1+C2 resources are 7,775kg and speculative resources are 12,000 to 15,000kg of contained gold. Copper grades vary from 0.01 to 15%. Recent sampling by USGS (Peters et al., 2011) has shown that disseminated mineralisation is extensive within a large contact aureole zone and holds potential for large, medium to low grade ore bodies that are amenable to bulk mining and ore processing methods, during this period of prevailing high copper and gold price.

44 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

Figure 7. Geological map of the Zarkashan area showing the mineralised areas (bedrock eroded through colluvial cover gold anomalies in red) surrounding the and exposed a granodioritic Zarkashan pluton (lighter shades of red). intrusive intruding Precambrian, (Peters et al., 2011). Cambrian, and Carboniferous limestone. The skarn zone at grades of 1.07% Cu and 0.9g/t contains brecciated, stromatolitic Au. limestone and contains large The Kundalyan copper-gold skarn areas of layered calc-silicate rock deposit area was explored by related to skarn formation and a series of trenches, adits, and metasomatic kaolin-carbonate drill holes. Data were presented rock. Malachite-stained siliceous on cross sections (Figure 8B) skarn and porphyroblastic Figure 8. (A) Geological map of the Kundalyan for about 5 km of strike length marble also are common in area showing the ore zone (black), skarn along a NNW-trending zone the mineralised zone. Despite (orange), kaolin-carbonate rock (grey), altered that is exposed in a valley. The the extensive trenching and granitoids (pale blue), granodiorite (green) Kundalyan copper-gold deposit the boreholes in the main zone and colluvium (pale yellow). (B) Illustrative has been explored where a there seems to have been little cross section through boreholes 2 and 7 at northwest-striking stream has exploration of colluvium covered Kundalyan (key as above).

45 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

areas to west and east. DEPOSIT PROFILE 3 Several copper and copper- Deposit Name Kundalyan gold and gold prospects and Location Zabul Province occurrences are present Deposit Style peripheral to or away from Cu-Mo-Au-Ag skarn the main Kundalyan copper- Host geology Proterozoic and Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and cherts gold skarn deposit. Prospects Ore minerals Chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite,sphalerite, molybdenite, chalcocite, bornite, generally cluster near and around covellite, native Cu, malachite the Kundalyan group of deposits Deposit geology Three deposits up to 155m long and 2.59–3.89 m thick. Mineralization restricted to hema- in these areas: Kaptarghor, Shela- tite-kaolin-quartz and meta-carbonates i-Surkh, Baghawan-Garangh, Estimated Resources C1+C2 resources 13600t Cu @ 1.07% Cu; 1.1t Au, @ 0.9 g/t Au; 127.3t Mo @ 0.13% Mo Kunar and Chasu-Ghumbad. Further details can be found in conducive to the occurrence of Peters et al., (2011). Katawaz epithermal gold deposits. The Hot-spring epithermal gold Katawaz AOI encompasses 1 of deposits have not been The Katawaz gold area of interest more than 19 geochemical halo positively identified but there (AOI) lies along the northwestern zones in the Katawaz Basin area are indications that they may margin of the Katawaz Basin in that are anomalous in mercury, be present in the epithermal eastern Afghanistan. Although no tungsten, gold and (or) lead. mercury zone of central Afghanistan and Katawaz basin (Figure 1).

Epithermal Gold In central Afghanistan in the Kharnak-Kanjar area, (Figure 9) disseminations and veinlets of cinnabar accompanied by carbonate, dickite and silica alteration and lesser pyrite, chalcopyrite and arsenic minerals are found in early Cretaceous calcareous rocks intruded by Eocene to Oligocene porphyry diorite dykes and volcanics. The features indicate the presence of a very large low-temperature hydrothermal system. Elsewhere in the world, such systems host significant gold resources and are the focus of major exploration Figure 9. Shaded relief map of Afghanistan Studies of Advanced Spaceborne investment (Peters et al., 2007, showing major earthquake faults from Boyd Thermal Emission and Reflection 2011). In the Katawaz basin and others (2007) and proximity of the Radiometer (ASTER) imagery Abdullah et al. (2008) observed Katawas gold area of interest to the Chaman have identified linear phyllic telethermal (epithermal) lead, zinc, Fault. and argillic alteration zones mercury and gold mineralisation on Cenozoic sedimentary and belonging to the orogenic known mineral occurrences or volcanic rocks within the AOI. (Miocene) stage of the basin's deposits are present in the AOI, Mapping of the ASTER imagery evolution. geologic and remote-sensing data in the Katawaz gold AOI has suggest that the environment is specifically identified illite, ferric

46 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gold

iron, and clay with local calcite The Chaman Fault system is 1973; Sborshchikov and others, 1974, and smectite along a northwest more than 1,000 kilometers (km) 1975). The basin was studied structure that is likely a splay of long and extends from the Hindu and described by Mennessier the Chaman Fault zone. Airborne Kush region in northeastern (1968, 1970a, b, c), Kaever (1964, magnetic data also indicate Afghanistan south-southwestward 1967a, b), Ganss (1964a, b, 1970), that small igneous bodies may through eastern Afghanistan into Bruggay (1973), Denikayev and underlie or be proximal to this western Pakistan (Fig. 9). Several others (1971), and Koshelev altered zone. large (Mw = 6 to 7) historical and others (1972). The Katawaz earthquakes produced surface Basin extends for 650 km (from Evidence of hydrothermal ruptures along the fault in south to north), and is as much mineralization occurs along Afghanistan in 1505, 1892, and as 160 km wide. The boundary the western margin of the 1975 (Quittmeyer and Jacob, 1979; between the basin and the Khost Katawaz Basin to the south of Lawrence and others, 1992; Yeats Ophiolite is obscure, but probably the Katawaz gold AOI where and others, 1979). Study of aerial tectonic. The main geosynclinal phyllic and argillic alteration photographs and interpretation complex is composed of 4,490- to zones are spatially associated of Quaternary geomorphology 7,550-m-thick, flysch-like, and with Miocene plutons and by Wellman (1965) suggest that irregularly interbedded, deformed stocks. In addition, base-metal slip rates on the Chaman Fault and faulted Oligocene sandstone, mineralization is present along system were between 2 and 20 shale, and siltstone as well as the eastern faulted margin of the millimeters per year (mm/yr). local limestone and conglomerate. Katawaz Basin. The presence The Katawaz Basin is the largest Mafic volcanic rocks are common of geochemical anomalies of mid-alpine structure of southeast at the base of the sequence. mercury and hydrothermal zones Afghanistan (German Geological The Katawaz gold AOI lies along in the Katawaz Basin suggests Mission in Afghanistan, 1969; the faulted boundary between that a mineralizing hydrothermal Ganss, 1964a, b, 1970; Denikaev the Daste Nawar Trough and the system may have been active and others, 1970; Koshelev, 1972; Base Estada Sub-Basin within either during or after the Sborshchikov and others, 1974, the greater Katawaz Basin. Most development of the basin. 1975). This synclinorium plunges faults in the Katawaz Basin strike Because there are no known to the southwest (Figure 9). The parallel to the general strike mineral deposits within the northeastern parts are composed of folds and therefore is likely Katawaz gold AOI and because of weakly metamorphosed and to be coeval with much of the this is a speculative AOI, the folded 6,000–meter (m)-thick folding. The structural pattern area requires ground visits, Permian-Triassic and Jurassic is dominated by independently field mapping, and sampling to carbonate terrigenous rocks. different zones of folding. The authenticate remotely-sensed Rocks constituting the basement Katawaz gold AOI and its sub- indications of mineralization. complex are Paleogene, mostly zone lie above or proximal to Eocene in age. They have been aeromagnetic anomalies that may Geology crumpled to form northeast- signify small intrusive bodies. The Katawaz gold AOI lies along trending folds that locally have the western margin of the been intruded by small bodies Known Deposits Katawaz Basin, which is bounded of Miocene diorite and syenite There are no known mineral by the Chaman Fault and its porphyries. The Katawaz Basin deposits within the Katawaz splays (Fig. 9). The Katawaz gold was named by the geologists of gold AOI. This is a speculative AOI lies along one of these fault the German Geological Mission to AOI and requires ground visits, splays. describe a larger area including field mapping, and sampling the Afghan part of the Kabul and to authenticate remote-sensed the Khost areas (Dronov and others, indications of mineralization.

47 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN FLUORSPAR

Geological Setting Afghanistan. Other areas of Metallogenic Framework fluorspar potential are reported Afghanistan straddles two huge from Bamyan, Badakhshan and Afghanistan's main fluorspar crustal plates - the Eurasian Baglan Provinces.Local demand district is in Uruzgan Province, Plate to the west, and the Indo- for fluorspar is negligible, but and is mostly within a terrane Australasian Plate to east, with when the large iron ore deposits known as the Helmand the active plate boundary close to are developed such as Hajigak Block (Figure 1) composed of Kabul. The Eurasian Plate consist and Sydara, it is expected that sedimentary and igneous rocks of a series of accreted terranes an integrated iron and steel ranging in age from Precambrian (Figure 1) that broke away from the industry will develop then this to Oligocene. The fluorspar ore main Gondwana Supercontinent. would benefit from a local source is hosted by Triassic-Jurassic The accretionary events started of metallurgical grade fluorspar. platform carbonate rocks, in the Cretaceous and have Export potential for metallurgical which overlie Precambrian and continued until recent times. grade fluorspar concentrate Paleozoic metsediments. The is considerable, and likewise fluorspar ores include both for chemical grade fluorspar stratiform and vein-type; and Fluoraspar Potential concentrate after processing. both calcareous and siliceous gangue is present. The fluorspar potential of Afghanistan has not been studied The platform carbonate rocks in great detail, but the best- extend northeastwards from known fluorspar districts are in Helmand towards Wardak Uruzgan Province in southern Province and host not only the fluorspar bodies but also contain the Tangi stratiform lead-zinc carbonate occurrence which is classed as Mississippi-Valley Type (MVT) mineralization.

Figure 1. Tectonic sketch-map of Afghanistan showing the main terranes and the location of the Uruzgan Fluorspar District.

48 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Fluorspar

Figure 2. Simplified geology of the Uruzgan Fluorspar District, showing location of the stratiform Bakhud Fluorspar Deposit, the boundary of the fluorspar tract, and the locations of the main vein-type fluorspar occurrences. Exploration History

Exploration for fluorspar in the Uruzghan Fluorspar District was conducted from 1969 to 1975 by Afghan and USSR geologists (Avtonomov et al., 1975). The work carried out covered an area of nearly 500km2 and included detailed geological mapping, sampling, trenching, geochemical surveys, the drilling of 27 exploration holes, and estimation of resources. Some metallurgical testing for fluorspar and lead was also conducted. Later, Peters et al. (2007) plotted a boundary for a fluorspar prospective tract based on fluorspar occurrences, geology and aeromagnetics (Figure 2).

Bakhud Fluorspar Deposit Fluorspar Style of Latitude Longitude Host Rock Bakhud is a stratiform, while Deposit Mineralization other fluorspar occurrences in the Bakhud 32°27'16.92" 65°53'57.84" Late Triassic Limestones Stratiform Uruzgan Fluorspar District are Chura 32°42'57.96" 65°49'09.84" Triassic Limestones Vein-type Vein-Type. Bakhud ore bodies are Anaghey 32°29'07.8" 65°46'00.12" Triassic Marbles Vein-type in a fault breccia at the base of an Saraw I, II, III 32°28'59.16" 65°49'05.52" Late Triassic to Upper Jurassic Limestones Vein-type angular unconformity between Ganighay 32°22'58.44" 65°53'14.64" Late Triassic to Upper Jurassic Limestones Vein-type Late Triassic dolomitic limestone and overlying Late Triassic to Table 1. Summary of the characteristics of the fluorspar deposits in the Uruzgan Fluorspar District. Middle Jurassic marl sediments of the Arghasu Formation. with lead and zinc sulphide or thinly-bedded veinlets or Mineralisation consists of a minerals, and less commonly stockworks in brecciated zones. number of tabular flat-lying siliceus fluorspar. Alteration The calcareous-type fluorspar ore bodies. Four discontinuous consists of recrystallized dolomite typically grades between 34 to mineralized zones are recognized with silification that is restricted 64%, averaging 47% CaF2. The at Bakhud: the Eastern, Western, to limestones in the basal fluorite is colourless, pale to Northern and Southern Areas, Alamghar Formation. dark violet or almost black. The and the ore zones range between mineral assemblage consists of 80 and 860m long, 10 to 200m Calcareous-type fluorspar a variable amount of fluorite in wide and 1.1 to 2.8m thick. constitutes 60-70% of the ore a calcarous matrix associated Mineralization consists of and occurs in all four areas. The with sulphide minerals such as abundant calcareous fluorspar dominant structures are massive sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite,

49 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Fluorspar

Resources / Reserves Grade the requirement for miners to Tons % of total Soviet JORC/CIM (% CaF2) sort and select ore to upgrade the run-of-mine ore, and the need for B Proven Ore Reserves 3,222,600 44.8% 38.5% teams of people to hand-sort ore C1 Probable Ore Reserves 1,028,300 11.5% during benefication. The large C2 Indicated Ore Reserves 4,441,000 48.5% 50.5% requirement for unskilled to Total 8,791,900 100% semi-skilled employees creates harmony with local communities Table 2. Summary of the resources of the Bakhud fluorspar deposit. and ensures export-grades are achieved. Manual dressing of tennantite and molybdenite. fluorspar production at the fluorspar ore to produce standard- Gangue minerals are pyrite, Bakhud Mine, and elsewhere in sized lump fluorspar suitable for barite, ankerite, dolomite and the Uruzgan Fluorspar District. iron and steel processing often quartz. Calcareous-type fluorspar As elsewhere in the world, the produces a more consistent assaying at 60.28% CaF2 was fluorspar ore is suitable for very product than mechanised processed via a flowsheet shallow open-pit mining and crushing. Long-distance haulage consisted of washing, hand simple processing, enabling by truck is economic provided sorting and flotation to yield production to commence quickly the sizing of lump fluorspar 92.8% of fluorspar concentrate in the open landscape (Dore et al., takes account of reduction of size that assayed at 97.38% CaF2, 2006). during trucking, and proper use

0.92% CaCO3, 0.51% SiO2 and of 2-tonne big bags for trucking 0.008% phosphorous. Of importance is the chemical grade concentrates interdependence between improves handling and prevents Siliceous-type fluorspar has an artisanal miners, SME mines and contamination. average grade of 37% CaF2.and SME/large processors during both is irregular, less abundant and fluorspar mining and processing restricted to flat contacts with the (Baatar and Grayson, 2009). This underlying Alamghar Formation, is seen worldwide due to the mainly in the Southern Area. pivotal role of individual miners The siliceous-type fluorspar in working narrow fluorspar veins Figure 3. Geological map and cross-section of occurs as replacement bodies inaccessible by large machines, the Bakhud fluorspar deposit. and as cementing material in the matrix of brecciated calcareous fluorspar. The gangue minerals are chalcedony, chlorite, calcite, ankerite and barite.

Bakhud Fluorspar Mine Amania Mining Company formed in 2010 and was recently awarded Exploitation (Mining) License for the Bakhud Fluorspar Deposit, and has begun mine production. The company employs 300 local people at the site, and has a substantial drilling programme planned. (ref: www.amania-mining. com). Potential for Investment and Employment Considerable potential exists for expanding

50 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Fluorspar

Metallogenesis Peters et. al. (2007) believe that the fluorspar occurrences in Summary of potential of It is not easy to assign a mineral Uruzgan match the fluorspar Bakhud Fluorspar deposit deposit model to the fluorspar vein model (Orris and Bliss, 1992), occurrences in the Uruzgan although they do not rule out - Reserves (Soviet B category)

Province. The most important other mineral deposit models may of 3.3Mt @ 44.8% CaF2 characteristics of the fluorspar be applicable. As the fluorspar occurrences are: occurrences are situated within - Total reserves and 1. Confined to unconformity the SW-NE trending carbonates, resources (category B+C1+C2)

between Late Triassic which coincide largely with of 8.8Mt @ 46.7% CaF2 dolomitic limestone and Late MVT tracts and are associated Triassic to Middle Jurassic with Pb-Zn anomalies typical - Flat-lying stratiform bodies calcareous sediments. of MVT deposits, the fluorspar of 1.1 to 2.8m 2. Sediments deposited in a occurrences can be tentatively shallow water environment. catalogued as Mississippi Valley 3. Mineralisation is Type (MVT) Mineralization. stratiform and/or vein type, and is massive or in veinlets, stockworks and disseminations. 4. Mineralisation is associated with faults, joints, breccias and mylonites. 5. In some places the fluorspar, particularly the stratiform mineralisation, is associated with sulphide minerals such as sphalerite and galena. 6. Mineralization is not associated with igneous activity. 7. Fluorspar associated with Pb/ Zn anomalies.

51 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN GRANITE DIMENSION STONE

pinkish orthoclase and microcline Location and Accessibility feldspars embedded in medium- fine grained feldspars, quartz, and The Bamyan Granite Complex micas. Mapping has delineated BGC is located approximately extensive outcropping over an 20km west of Bamyan town, the area of 164km2 and exposure of provincial capital of Bamyan a minimum 200m vertical depth Province. The BGC body is further with an inferred resource of linked by approximately 225 road Summary 32 billion m3 based on outcrop km NW of Kabul, the capital city of dimensions. The outcrops of the Afghanistan (Figure 2). Exotic dimension-stone quality Shirbatu Granite Complex (Figure granites which form the Shirbatu 1) are part of a greater “Bamyan Additional access from Kabul is Granite Complex (SGC) were Granitoid Complex” in the region, via Wardak Province. This road identified by Afghanistan and holds equal potential for is about 180km long and passes Geological Survey (AGS) geologists exploration, development and by the Hajigak iron ore deposit. during the 2010 field season. exploitation for decorative stone This road is passable but certain The SGC is centered on 67.5590E and construction materials. An portions require major upgrading longitude and 34.8610N latitude, excellent road network connecting and reconstruction. and is located approximately Kabul city is in place with other 225km NW from Kabul, the capital development options for railway Parts of the outcropping granitic city of Afghanistan. The body route and energy/power being bodies are transected by the new comprises spectacular porphyritic investigated, to enhance the sealed highway between Bamyan to equigranular, coarse-medium development of the nearby world- and Yawalang. 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.

52 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Granite Dimension Stone

Geology of the Shirbatu sediments. (Stazhilo-Alekseev et al. They consist of almost equal Granite Complex 1976, Abdullah et al. 1978). Absolute amounts of plagioclase (25 to age determinations yielded two 35%), microcline (25 to 30%) and Bamyan Granitoid Complex distinct ages for the Bamyan Quartz (25 to 32%) with less biotite The Shirbatu granite is part of Granitoid Complex: 200 to 240ma (5 to 8%), and Accessory apatite, a massive Triassic aged calc- and 95 to 155ma (Abdullah et al, zircon, and other minerals. The alkaline batholith, named the 1978). The age determination texture of the rocks is porphyritic, “Bamyan Granitoid Complex” therefore indicated two distinct hypidiomorphic-granular and (Figure 3) which extends over igneous Phases for the Bamyan poikilitic. thousands of square kilometres Granitoid Complex. Phase I (Early from the SW to the NE across Triassic) consist of granites and Bamyan and Baghlan Provinces. granodiorites, while Phase II The complex is part of a number (Late Triassic) is made of granites, of igneous complexes formed alaskite granites, granosyenites, during Early to Late Triassic time quartz syenites and granosyenite as a result of subduction of an porphyries. oceanic crust along the southern Phase I granitoid rocks crop margins of the Eurasian plate. out to the NE of the Shirbatu The BGC complex intruded Complex and are represented by Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata coarse-grained granite porphyry Figure 2. Location of Shirbatu granite and is unconformably overlain and light-grey and grayish- dimension stone resource, major deposits and by Cretaceous and younger pink granite and granodiorite. infrastructure (planned and existing).

53 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Granite Dimension Stone

biotization of volcanogenic rocks grey and grey-pink rocks with and serpentinization of dolomites. aplitic, graphic and porphyritic The presence of migmatized and textures consisting of varying hornfelsed contact aureoles are up amounts of: Shirbatu Granite Complex to several hundred metres wide. • microcline (up to 65%), The Shirbatu Granite Complex Several dyke series associated • oligoclase (10 to 30%), (SGC) outcrops over a surface area with the complex are represented • quartz (15to 30%), of 164km2 and formed during by pegmatites and, less frequently, • biotite (5 to 7%) and the Phase II intrusion of granites diorite porphyry and diabase • accessory zircon, garnet, and granodiorites. There are also bodies; measuring a few metres apatite, other opaque minerals. some veins and stocks of alaskite thick and a few dozen meters long, granites and granosyenites. At confined mainly to the contact The porphyry granites exhibit this locality, the complex intruded zones of the intrusive. the typical granitic texture with limestones of Upper Permian age elements of pegmatite texture (Figure 4). Phase II granitoid rocks include (Figure 4 and 5). This type of the ‘Shirbatu Granite Complex’ textures is extremely exotic The contact aureole within and are represented by granites, looking when polished. the sedimentary rocks is alaskite granite, granosyenite, characterized by development quartz syenite and syenite of skarn and marbelization of porphyry. They are coarse to limestones, actinolization and medium grained, massive light

Figure 3. Shirbatu Granite Complex is located some 20km to the west of Bamyan town, along the main road (thick brown line) connecting Bamyan with Band-e-Amir and Yakawlang. G-damartodic 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).

54 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Granite Dimension Stone

Figure 4. A polished slab of coarse grained Figure 5. A polished slab of medium grained porphyritic granite. Abundant coarse grained equigranular granite, comprising >60 vol. % of pinkish orthoclase feldspar embedded in pinkish orthoclase feldspar. relatively medium-fine grain plagioclase feldspar (grey) and quartz (white) and biotite (dark minerals).

Economic Potential The inferred resource for decorative building stone at The granites from Shirbatu The Shirbatu Granite Complex massif exhibit beautiful textures is approximately 32.8 billion when polished and can be used m3. The road infrastructure is as very valuable building stone being upgraded and access to and decorative tiles, sidewalks, major markets in the north and vanities, kitchens tables, and other to Kabul city will be excellent. needs. Texturally, coarse grains With the further railway of varying amounts of feldspars development, transportation of and quartz are embedded in a bulk commodities will be greatly finer grained matrix of the same improved. minerals with minor accessories giving a “porphyritic texture” The production of high quality (Figure 4) to equigranular and very tiles for decorative purposes coarse pegmatitic appearance. and by-products for road Less commonly are medium aggregates and other usages can grained equigranular textures be fully established after further giving the rocks exotic appearance exploration and detailed feasibility when cut and polished (Figure 5). studies.

55 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN LEAD & ZINC

terranes, the Farad block, to the south, the intervening Paleo- Tethys Ocean having been subducted under the Eurasian Geological Setting continent. The later collision of the Indo-Pakistan continent Afghanistan sits on the junction caused subduction of the Neo- between the Indo-Australasian Tethys Ocean and formed the and Eurasian crustal plates Himalayan orogeny, which led to and is composed of a series of uplift of the Hindu Kush mountain terranes (Figure 1) that broke range in Afghanistan. away from the main Gondwana supercontinent before colliding In Afghanistan eight lead and with and being accreted on to the zinc deposits have been identified Eurasian plate. The accretionary (Figure 1) and more than 90 events began in the Cretaceous other occurrences and mineral and have continued until recent showings located mainly south of times. The Herat or Hari Rod fault, the Hindu Kush mountain which runs E-W across central range. The deposits are situated Afghanistan, marks the boundary in Kandahar, Ghor, Paktia and between Eurasia to the north and Parwan Provinces. the first of these accretionary

Figure 1. Tectonic sketch of Afghanistan showing the distribution of Pb-Zn deposits.

56 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc

Metallogenic Framework Exploration History Another area with several old lead workings is north of Tulak, The Tethyan orogenic zone, Ancient lead mines are known Ghor Province, where hundreds which stretches from Western from Farenjal (Ghorband valley) of old pits were worked until the Europe through Turkey and the where lead was mined together 1950s and Nalbandan until 1966. Himalayas to Vietnam, marks the with small amounts of silver. The most important areas are former site of the Tethyan Ocean Other ancient mining sites are Nalbandan and Sia Sang which and shows extensive subduction- known from other places in were visited several times by the related igneous activity in the southern Afghanistan, mainly German Geological Mission to Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The Kandahar and Herat Provinces. In Afghanistan in the 1960’s and a Tethyan orogenic zone is widely nearly all cases lead was mined large exploration programme, mineralized with both copper and as galena, which was easy to involving trenching, drilling, gold mineralization in the centre melt with the available primitive exploration adits and metallurgical of the zone and areas of lead-zinc- methods. testing, was carried out between barium and tin mineralization on 1967 and 1969 (Scheer, 1969). At the flanks, typical of subduction- The first geological description Nalbandan additional sampling related mineralization (Coats, of the Farenjal deposit dates and mapping were conducted 2009). This Tethyan Eurasian from 1838 and primitive mining by the Soviets in 1956-1966. Old Metallogenic Belt (TEMB) extends continued until 1919. In the 1920’s mines are also known from Regjoi, along the length of the orogen some exploration and mining work Nawad and Gawkush. from Europe into South East Asia. was done by the Czechs, followed Within Afghanistan the TEMB by more detailed investigations In the area of Spira several old can be recognised from Helmand carried out by Lemmon (1950a) mines and exploration shafts to province in the south extending and Soviet geologists drilled five 20 m depth were found. In 1972 north-eastwards through boreholes between 1961 and 1965 stream sediment, rock sampling Kandahar to near Kabul (Figure (Khasanov, 1967). and geophysical work was carried 1). An older metallogenic zone out by Soviet geologists, followed by (Hari Rod - Panjshir HRPZ) can be Several lead-zinc deposits can be more detailed exploration in 1973. recognised in central Afghanistan found about 70-90km northeast marking the former site of the of Kandahar (see Figure 1). These All other areas with lead- Paleo-Tethys Ocean, which closed deposits comprise Kalai-Assad zinc or polymetallic lead-zinc during the Cimmerian orogeny with the main deposit Bibi Gauhar, mineralization (Shaida, Talah, (Triassic to early Cretaceous). This Darra-i-Nur with Yakata Khum Udmanay etc.) were explored by zone extends from Herat and and Dike 41, Gbarghey copper- geochemical stream sediment runs eastwards along the Hari lead and Bakhud fluorspar-lead sampling and mapping by the Rod River to the Panjshir valley. deposits. Old pits are known Afghan-Soviet team in the period In the Soviet literature these two at all these places, but shafts between 1963 and 1979. Nearly all metallic zones were known as the and galleries up to 100 m have lead mineralization shows traces Arghandab-Tirin (part of the TEMB) been mined only at Darra-i-Nur of ancient mining. and the Hari Rod-Panjshir Zones and Dyke 41. The first modern (HRPZ). exploration was carried out by Lemmon at Bibi Gauhar, which involved trenching and drilling (Lemmon, 1950b). Some further exploration work was done in 1965-1966 by Soviet geologists and the sites have been visited by German geologists.

57 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc

Pb-Zn Mineral Deposit is located about 20km to the Resources / Grade Styles northeast and comprises the Reserves Tons deposits/occurrences of Darra-i- JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % The following styles of lead- Nur, Yakata Khum, Dyke 41 and Bibi Gauhar zinc deposits are recognized in Dailanar. Proven Ore Reserves 26,600 30.4 7.8 Afghanistan. Probable Ore 42,800 30.4 7.8 The mineralized area is Reserves 1. Carbonate Replacement represented by carbonate rocks Indicated Ore Trace Deposits (CRD) and Skarns of Late Triassic and Jurassic ages Reserves strongly metasomatised to skarns Total 86,200 2. Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) (Kalai Assad, Dailanar) or invaded Kalai Assad Area by basic dykes of Oligocene age Speculative Metal 100,000 3. Sedimentary Exhalative (Figure 2). The ore bodies in the Resources (Zn+Pb) deposits (SEDEX) skarn zone are lens shaped, up to Dyke 41 10m thick and explored to 100m 4. Volcanogenic Massive depth at Bibi Gauhar (Figure 3). Speculative Metal 40,000 Zn 9.6 2.4 Resources (Zn+Pb) 100,000 Pb Sulphide deposits (VMS) The largest of all dykes (Dyke 41) ranges in thickness from 5.5 to Darra-i-Nur 5. Vein-style deposits 13m and is 950m long. The ore Inferred Ore 70,000 7.0 3.0 varies from massive ore consisting Resources The five deposits or major prospects of sphalerite and galena (Bibi have been identified in Afghanistan: Gauhar) to disseminated sulphides Table 1. Details of the mineral resources and Darra-i-Nur, Kalai Assad, with magnetite and/or copper grades of the Kalai Assad - Darra-i-Nur Pb-Zn Nalbandan, Spira, Farenjal carbonates. The upper few metres mineralization. are described using the above of the ore zones are mainly classification. Two further major oxidized and consist of cerussite, prospects - Shaida and Bakhud smithsonite and hydrozincite. have lead and zinc associated High metal contents were with primary copper and fluorite found in Bibi Gauhar: mineralization respectively. 30.4% Zn, 7.8% Pb (sulphide ore) and 22.2% Zn, 9.5% Pb (oxidized ore) with silver content up to 178ppm. Carbonate Replacement The highest zinc content Deposits & Skarns 36.49% Zn is reported from Yakata Khum. The metal Darra-i-Nur and Kalai-Assad content of the other areas The Darra-i-Nur and Kalai-Assad varies between less than 1 lead-zinc deposits are located to 5% lead, 0.5 to 21% zinc in Kandahar Province, Karkhez and up to 1.45% copper. Disrict and can be classified as According to Table 1 the skarn or replacement deposits speculative resources for related to contact zones of the the Kalai Assad - Darra-i- Oligocene granitic Arghandab Nur lead-zinc area amount pluton. The Kalai-Assad deposit to about 125,000t zinc and also known as Bibi Gauhar 32,000t lead with probable deposit can be divided in five reserves of 13t silver. ore areas (Bibi Gauhar, Central, Southern, Western and Eastern area), the Darra-i-Nur deposit

Figure 2. Geological Cross Section of Dyke 41, after Khasanov, (1967).

58 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc

Mississippi Valley Type Figure 3. Geological Map and Cross Section of the Bibi Gauhar Pb-Zn Deposit, after Lemmon Nalbandan and Sia Sang (1950b). The Nalbandan stratiform deposit is hosted by Triassic calcareous and clayey siliceous sedimentary rocks. It consists of a 850m long by 3 to 9m thick stratiform mineralized zone containing sphalerite, galena, and minor boulangerite with pyrite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite. The Sia Sang lead-zinc mineralization is connected to sandstone lenses within Lower to Middle Jurassic limestone within a 1,700m long and up to 7.5m thick shear zone containing galena and sphalerite, accompanied by chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite (Peters, 2007; Scheer, 1969; Wirtz, 1963).

59 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc

Bakhud Resources / Sedimentary Exhalative Grade The Bakhud carbonate-hosted Reserves Tons (SEDEX) fluorite deposit consists of a JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % number of tabular zones dipping 5° to 20° located at the base Nalbandan Farenjal of an angular unconformity Probable Ore 105,000 4.4 0.5 The main Farenjal baryte deposit between Upper Triassic dolomitic Reserves lies in Ordovician brecciated limestone and Lower Jurassic Indicated Ore 315,000 4.4 0.5 limestone and contains baryte- clay-marls. There are four Resources bearing bodies with lead and zinc discontinuous mineralized zones disseminated mineralization with 0.66-0.99% Zn and 0.17- Inferred Ore 1,300,000 1.3 0.25 over an area containing 16 fine- Resources 0.34% Pb and galena contains 100 grained barite lenses that are 10 g/t silver (Abdullah, 1980). Taking Total 1,720,000 to 70 m long and 1 to 9m wide and into account the calcareous Sia Sang grade 84% baryte. The proximal fluorspar occurrences which Pb/Zn mineralization associated constitute 60 to 70 volume % Potential 1,500,000 (3% Pb + 17% with the baryte is 500x100x10- of the ore and the total fluorite Resources Zn) 20m. The occurrence of bedded resources (B+C1+C2 categories) baryte and proximal Pb-Zn of about 8.8Mt, the contained Table 2. Mineral resources and grades deposits indicates that at least in inferred metal resources can be of the Nalbandan and Sia Sang lead-zinc part this is a SEDEX deposit. calculated: zinc 55,000t, lead mineralization. 20,000t, and silver 2t.

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

60 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc

Resources / VMS Deposits Future Potential Grade Reserves Tons A reassessment of non-fuel JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % Shaida The Shaida copper deposit mineral resources was carried Farenjal has been interpreted to be out by Peters (2007) using modern Potential 25000-3000 10% 7.8 either a simple vein deposits or mineral deposit models to Resources (Pb+ Zn) volcanogenic massive sulfide estimate undiscovered resources deposit (VMS). The deposit and to a depth of 1km beneath Table 3. Mineral resources and grades of the nearby occurrences include a the surface of the Earth. The Farenjal lead-zinc mineralization. number of polymetallic veins largest lead-zinc prospects in and skarn copper deposits. Afghanistan are sedimentary, It is unclear whether the rock-hosted and related both to mineralization is associated with a the southern suture of the TEMB Late Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous and the northern equivalent, the quartz porphyry and Jurassic Hari Rod-Panjsher metallogenic quartz keratophyre volcanic rocks zone (HRPZ). The TEMB has high Vein-type Deposits that are intruded by Oligocene potential for CRD and skarn granite porphyry forming deposits and the exploration Spira silicified lenses that contain model used in Mexico and Peru The Spira lead-zinc occurrence chalcopyrite and oxide minerals (Figure 5) should be used to drive is located in the faulted contact or related to Cretaceous volcanic modern exploration for further between Triassic sandstone, slate, activity. Based on a resource discoveries. and limestone and Paleocene of 4,800,000t of ore (probable conglomerate and sandstone; resources) grading 1.1% Cu, 1.3% Most of the currently known the Pb/Zn occurrence is in a Zn, 0.08% Pb, and 0.3ppm Au deposits in Afghanistan are 40 to 60m-wide, brecciated, (Abdullah, 1980) the metal content in the skarn zone but in other hydrothermally altered zone is calculated as follows: 50,000 areas of the world the chimney (Nikitin, 1973). t Cu, 60,000t, Zn, Pb and 14t Au. and manto zones are the most There are other potential areas productive, particularly when Resources / for VMS deposits and one at the high silver content increases Grade Reserves Tons Balkhab with Cu and Zn recorded their value. The prospective JORC/CIM Zn % Pb % in massive sulphide bodies hosted tracts have been indicated by Ordovician metamorphic rocks. by Peters (2007) and within Spira these areas detailed geological Speculative 8,800 3.28 1.12 mapping to discover the extent Metal 3,100 of favorable carbonate lithologies Reserves and alteration haloes. This zone should also be investigated for Table 3. Mineral resources and grades of the near surface, supergene-enriched Spira lead-zinc mineralization. zinc carbonate and oxide deposits, which are known in comparable areas in Iran (Angouran) and China.

61 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Lead and Zinc

Some SEDEX deposits and stratabound nature and long occurrences are closely associated strike length. Economic VMS with large accumulations of deposits can be difficult to locate bedded barite, such as Farenjal, because there is often a large The sedimentary rock-hosted, that may be of additional number of small satellite bodies MVT lead-zinc prospects within economic importance. Detailed but because of the massive, pyritic the KRPZ occur in carbonate rocks knowledge of the local geology nature of the Ore; they respond of Jurassic-Cretaceous age. well to geophysical methods, Three prospective tracts such as EM. were delineated by (Peters, The carbonate-hosted lead- 2007) that are permissive zinc and barite occurrences for sediment-hosted lead- present in several zinc deposits. The most Phanerozoic stratigraphic promising area is within units have been interpreted tract along the KRPZ (Herat as been remobilized from fault) in the central parts of lower levels, and redeposited Ghowr Province (Nalbandan in upper sequences within area). Newer models of basin veins, shear and stratabound dewatering, the importance zones (Peters, 2007). It is of faulting to provide possible thatthese types of channels for the evolving deposits and occurrences hydrothermal fluids and the may also be present within lithological and structural Proterozoic sedimentary traps controlling the and volcano-sedimentary deposition of the base metal sequences of Afghanistan. sulphides, are important However, the missing link guides to the discovery of between TEMB in central/ new deposits. MVT deposits south/west Afghanistan may be transitional into and the continuation of the SEDEX deposits, such as Farenjal, Figure 4. Section through the strait form TEMB in the north/northeast if the fracture channel reaches the Nalbandan lead-zinc deposit, after Scheer of Afghanistan and the high surface and the fluids do not react (1969). metamorphic grade of the wall with carbonate rocks at lower rocks generally indicate that the levels. An origin for the deposits and the importance of growth erosion levels are deeper than the by escape of basinal fluids from faults in the formation of the brine level at which most magmatic- basins of Triassic and Jurassic pools, where such deposits are hydrothermal deposits are formed age south of the suture and their formed, are key to the discovery (Peters, 2007; Coats, 2009). expulsion during collision with of new orebodies. Geochemical the Eurasian continent and exploration can also locate closure of Paleo-Tethys ocean. these deposits because of their

Summary of the potential for Lead and Zinc in Afghanistan

- 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

62 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN LIMESTONE/CEMENT

Summary Location and Accessibility of green schists, metaterrigenous rocks, marble, and metavolcanics; While Afghanistan is undergoing The area is located 32 km west of and Cambrian rocks which are the process of stabilization the city of Herat in the Zandajan composed of sandstone, siltstone, and reconstruction, there is a District. Most of the road to limestone, dolomite, and mafic 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 The Government of Afghanistan conflicts, is located in the area Figure 1. View of unfinished cement plant has recognized the need for which could be refurbished very immediately across from the limestone-marl developing a vibrant cement easily (Figure 1). outcrop. manufacturing industry as high priority target for 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 Zandajan District of Herat Province, some 35 km to the west of the city of Herat.

The potential reserves of high quality limestone of Lower and Middle Jurassic age is estimated Local Geology basalts, basalt, trachyte, dacite, more than 2.5 billion tons and rhyolite, ignimbrite, tuff, has excellent access to water, Based on studies conducted in conglomerates, sandstones, road electricity and other 1980 mapping of 1:500,000 scale, siltstone, and the Quaternary infrastructures at Heart city. reproduced in Figure 3, the age sediments (Q34ac) made of of the limestone-marl unit in this detrital sediments, gravel, area is Middle Upper Jurassic sand, clay, clay sand, loess, and (J23ls) and they are bright gray travertine. The Jurassic limestone colored and in some places unit strikes to the southeast- reddish. The unit underlies the northwest between 1200 – 1500 Upper Proterozoic metamorphic and dips moderately between rocks (Z1scp) which is composed 400–550 SE.

63 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Limestone/Cement

Resource Estimation Figure 2. Geology of Zenda Jan, showing Conclusion limestone bodies (J23ls) overlained by Table below outlined general extensive Quaternary (Q34ac) cover on the From a geologic and economic parameters used for determining eastern end. point of view, the area is highly the inferred resource estimation suitable for an investment in for the limestone bodies at building a cement plant with Zandajan. higher production capacity. According to AGS assessment, the Specification Outcrop 2 Outcrop 2 Outcrop 3 Kaftar Khana area contains more than one billion tons of cement 1,400 600 Length (m) 630 quality limestone and the Width (m) 835 401 535 resources can be easily upgraded because the limestone and marl Area (m2) 1,169,000 240,000 337,050 units extend further to southwest Depth (m) 155m 155m 155m (Figure 2), even under the Volume (m3) 181,195,000 37,293,000 52,242,750 Quaternary cover.

Bulk density (g/cm3) 2.72 2.72 2.72

Metric tons (T) 492,850,400 101,436,960 142,100,280

Coordinates N - 34º 19'48.9" N - 34º 19'59.9" E - 61º 56'19.7" E - 61º 56'10.0"

MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN GEMSTONES

Figure 1. Location of major gemstone deposits in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan gains little value from its gemstones, and makes the value of the annual production difficult to estimate. The World Bank has valued it as US$2.75 million (Mining as a Source of Growth, March 2004), and other estimates suggest a much higher figure. It has been suggested that the potential annual value is US$160 million (UNDP, 2005); and this could be realized if better techniques were instituted at the mines and if all known deposits were worked. Recent government initiatives are addressing the economic issues associated with gemstone production. is typically an artisanal activity, Regulations are being developed carried out by people living in to provide the framework for villages surrounding the mines. more formal exploration and Afghanistan and gemstones Tunnels are excavated and mining. Implementation of have been inextricably linked gems are extracted by hand these will enable the gem trade for 6,500 years and the country using drills, dynamite and often to be legalized and this will remains rich in precious and high explosives recycled from encourage greater investment semi-precious gemstone deposits ordnance. These techniques lead in the mines, which in turn will (Figure 1). Lapis lazuli, mined to much waste and damage to lead to better work practices, in the Hindu Kush since the gems, and result in low yield. greater yields and less waste. The Neolithic Period, was transported Government of Afghanistan is along the ancient trade routes Most of the gemstones mined in starting to formalize the industry to Mesopotamia, Ur, Egypt and Afghanistan leave the country by asserting its control in rural India. Precious gems including illicitly, 90-95% of them going to areas. Other developments that emeralds, ruby and sapphires are Peshawar in Pakistan where they have been highlighted (UNDP, mined in Afghanistan, and semi- are sorted for quality. 2005) are capacity building and precious lapis lazuli, tourmaline, education in cutting, polishing, aquamarine, kunzite, topaz, The low-value stones are cut for gemology, and the creation garnets, fluorite and varieties the domestic Pakistan market of the quality standards and of quartz are also worked. and the medium- and high- targeted marketing campaigns Afghanistan is also a source of quality stones are sent around in order to increase the value of quality mineral specimens sought the world for accurate cutting Afghan gemstones before they by collectors. for the western markets. This are exported. Afghanistan has a Gemstone mining in Afghanistan pattern of trade ensures that great opportunity to increase its

66 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gemstones

Gem Resources in altered gabbro. The emeralds are Afghanistan a rich green color and occur in crystals up to 100 carats in weight There are four main gemstone whose clarity often rivals the more producing areas: the Panjshir Valley famous Columbian emeralds. producing emeralds, the Jegdalek Gem quality crystals are up to 10 area producing rubies and a range mm to 15mm long, 2-3mm thick, of fancy coloured and blue sapphires, and very rarely up to 50 mm long Badakhshan producing the world- and 2mm wide. Estimates current famous and most recognized of production are speculative, but Afghan gems, lapis lazuli, and before the civil war productions Nuristan producing a wide range was said to be in the US$8-10 of semi-precious gems such as million range (UNDP 2005). tourmaline, kunzite, aquamarine, spodumene and beryl. Ruby Ruby, known as the Emerald ‘King of Precious Emerald, a Stones’, is Tourmaline from Afghanistan. saturated green a precious and most gemstone form precious form of corundum. share of this market, particularly of beryl, are Rubies are mined because of the proximity to India, found in the at Jegdalek- the world’s largest coloured Panjshir Valley. Gandamak in gemstones import market, The deposit is Kabul Province and also because there is an thought to have where they occur in increasing demand for higher been discovered in a Proterozoic calcite- quality gems in North America, the early 1970s by a dolomite marble bed Europe, East Asia and the Middle young shepherd. However, 500 to 2,000m thick within East. this may be the deposit referred a regionally metamorphosed to in Pliny’s ‘Natural History’, marble cut by Oligocene granitic written in the first century AD, intrusions. as smaragdus (green stones) from Bactria. The Jegdalek rubies range from Rocks bearing emeralds occur in nearly colourless to deep red the Panjshir Valley at elevations and purplish red, and display of 3000-4000m in an area 16 km strong fluorescence in ultraviolet long by 3km wide. They are found radiation. True rubies form 15% of in quartz-ankerite veins cutting the production at Jegdalek, along with pink sapphires (75%) and blue sapphire (5%), the remaining 5% consists of mixed blue and red-to-pink corundum (Bowersox, 1990). Clean faceting quality rubies are rare, but those that are found are of excellent quality and are said to match those from the very best source of rubies in the world.

67 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gemstones

Lapis Lazuli not available but an estimate is Gem-quality tourmalines up to Lapis lazuli from Badakhshan in 9,000kg per year. A speculative 150mm long and 40mm wide the north of the country is still estimate of the reserves is 1,300 occur in a wide range of colors. regarded as the world’s premier tonnes. Pink is common though pale blue, source in terms of quantity indigo blue (indicolite), green, and quality. Its name is derived and emerald green are found. In from the Latin ‘lapis’, meaning addition, rare bi-colored stones ‘stone’ and the Persian ‘lazhward’ of green-pink and blue-green are meaning ‘blue’. It is used to make much sought after. The crystals beads, boxes and other decorative are beautifully formed, elongate articles, is often carved into with a distinctive ‘rounded figurines and is popular for men’s triangular’ cross-section. The jewellery. mineral specimen market is significant as good quality mineral Lapis lazuli is composed of the specimens can attract large feldspathoid minerals lazurite, prices. Many specimens from hauyne, nosean and sodalite, with Afghanistan can be found at gem other minerals including calcite and mineral shows and for sale on and pyrite and lesser amounts the Internet. of diopside, amphibole, feldspar, mica and other silicates. Badakhshan Afghanistan is a major world Lapis is mined in an area known Semi-precious gems from supplier of spodumene, especially as the ʻBlue Mountain’ on the Nuristan the well-known pink variety right bank of the Kokcha River in Nuristan is a region on the eastern kunzite. Along with other varieties Badakhshan where it occurs as side of Afghanistan bordering of spodumene, kunzite locally skarn lenses 1-4m thick in marble. Pakistan and with high mountains occurs in crystals of great size. There were formerly seven mines incised by numerous steep-sided These are prismatic and stout, extracting lapis lazuli but today valleys. The region is especially and specimens one metre in there is only one, the Sary-Sang notable for pegmatites, a late- length have been found, though deposit. The mine lies at an stage crystallisation from molten generally they range from 30 to elevation of around 3,500 metres rock, comprising one of the 400 mm. Spodumene is found where, on account of low winter largest pegmatite fields in the in a number of colour varieties temperatures, it is worked only world which hosts a wide variety including pink, violet, green between June and September. of minerals and gems commonly (hiddenite), blue, colourless and Accurate production figures are of exceptional size and quality. yellowish-green. Well-cut and high clarity stones with more saturated colours command the best prices and are highly sought after. Aquamarine, a name derived from the Latin for ‘sea water’, is a light blue-greenish variety of beryl that has been mined near the village of Konar in Nuristan since the mid-1980s. Mined from a pegmatite, it occurs in crystals up to 75mm long, which are often of very clear gem quality. Much larger non-gem quality crystals can be found also. A rarer pale pink to deep rose variety of beryl called morganite has been mined in small quantities at Mawi in Nuristan.

68 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Gemstones

Other gem and mineral occurrences Blue sapphire has recently been reported from Wardak Province west of Kabul. Cut stones over two carats are known though not in any great quantity. A range of garnets is known to occur. For example, spessartite garnet is known at Pachighram in Nangahar province, and dark red almandines also from Pachighram are widespread in Proterozoic schists. In 2002, dealers reported spessartites from mines in pegmatite at Darre Pech in Kunar where they are extracted along with kunzite. They are yellow- orange in color and stones up to 1.68 carats in weight are reported. Another variety from the same locality is orange-red to dark red almandine-spessartites up to 1.28 Figure 4. Fluorite from Kandahar. carats in weight.

Since 2002 Afghanistan has become a significant source of gem-quality hessonite (grossular Summary garnet) from Munjagal in Kunar Afghanistan is a country Province and Kantiwow in very rich in gemstones but Nuristan Province. The hessonite at the bottom of the value varies from yellowish orange to chain. With improvements red-orange, and the combined in national security, production from these localities recent changes to the legal is 7000 kg/year. Kandahar framework for mining and fluorite (Figure 4) is a well-known the Afghan Government’s collector’s gemstone that comes strategy for legitimising the in a range of colours. Particularly mining sector, the prospects attractive and sought after are the for investment and improved blue and sea-green varieties. yields are very good. With the new development of value added cutting and polishing centres, and Kabul gradually emerging as a centre for gem trade, Afghanistan now has the potential to develop further a major internationally recognized gemstone industry.

Tourmaline

69 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN MARBLES

Background Faryab, Paktia, Parwan, Ghazni Marble is brecciated and brown; and Samangan provinces: Mohammad Agha Marble is black The marble industry is one and white. of the fastest growing sectors Kabul: Proterozoic marble is of Afghan’s economy (USAID, quarried in Ghazak, Hazare Wardak: Proterozoic Maydan 2008; Rassin, 2012). Currently 40 Baghal, Kariz-Amir, Pul-e- Marble occurs near Maydan Shar marbles are being quarried, and Charkhy, Qalamkar, and Tara and consists of grey and dark grey over a hundred more have been Kheel. The Proterozoic Kariz-Amir marble ‘beds’ up to 450 m thick, identified and catalogued, and Marble occurs about 40 km north interbedded with schist. The therefore supply is not a major of Kabul and is a granular white, Maydan Marble Mines are well- constraint on growth. Current rarely grey-yellow marble. Ghazak known, with five working areas growth is two-pronged; the Black is a popular fine-grained, in a 10-12 km outcrop that has industry is gaining increased black marble that occurs 32 km worked for 40 years. share of the domestic market for east of Kabul. Anjirak White Marble low-cost marbles, while expanding comes from a quarry on Hazare Badakhshan: Siluro-Devonian exports of high-value marbles that Baghal Mountain and contains Bini-Kama Marble is a medium are in demand worldwide. small light gray siliceous nodules. and coarsely crystalline marble A wide range of marble is with a resource of about 1,300 currently being extracted from Logar: Proterozoic marble is million tonnes. Carboniferous quarries in Kabul, Logar, Wardak, quarried in Awbazak, Dehnow and Faizabad Granodiorite is mined and Badakhshan, Bamyan, Helmand, Mohammad Agha. Awbazak Marble processed in a new facility. Herat, Nangarhar, Kandahar, is bioclastic and brown; Dehnow Bamiyan: Shibartu Granite is a large untapped dimension stone on the main road between Bamyan city and Yakawlang. This stone is coarse-grained and porphyritic. Large pink orthoclase crystals give it a special appeal.

Figure 1. Ornamental marble working in Kabul.

70 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles

Herat: Proterozoic Chesht-i-Sharif Onyx Figure 2 Marble occurs 120 km east of Herat city and consists of a finely Onyx is a banded variety of crystalline marble ranging in chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline colour from pure white to a subtle form of quartz. Onyx is highly light green. The Chesht Marbles are valued as a high quality marble currently worked for dimension and the colour of its bands range stone and have been favourably from white to almost every other compared to Carrara Marble, an colour. Afghan onyx is quarried Italian marble recognised to be from several provinces including one of the finest in the world. Bamyan, Helmand and Faryab, with colours including shades Nangarhar: Proterozoic Khogiani of yellow, green or brown. Some Marble occurs 35 km south-west of of these may in fact be a variety Jalalabad and consists of a white of aragonite (calcium carbonate) marble known as ‘Afghan White’. called travertine, however the traditional name of onyx has Ghazni: The province recently remained in place and is still used began producing tan coloured to this day. Ghazni Travertine and Ghazni White Marble. Honeycomb Onyx Samangan: Cretaceous to A new quarry in Chesti-Sharif Paleocene Samangan Marbles district of Herat Province include tan, yellow, and pink produces a honeycomb patterned colours. Some samples have onyx. Pseudomorphs of gypsum visible fossils. crystals that were replaced by chalcedony are the apparent cause of the honeycomb pattern (Figure 2).

For new projects, contact the Ministry at: [email protected]

71 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles

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

Qalamkar Marble, Kabul Ghazak Marble, Kabul Ghazak Black, Kabul

Hazare Baghal, Kabul Chesht-i-Sharif Marble, Herat Zurmat Marble, Khost

72 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles

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

Wardak Grey, Wardak Wardak White, Wardak Wardak White, Wardak

Wardak Grey, Wardak Samangan Brown, Samangan Samangan Marble, Samangan

73 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles

Samangan Marble, Samangan Kaftar Khana, Parwan Salang Marble, Parwan

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

74 Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Marbles

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

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

75 MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Tendering Process

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

Mining High National Technical Economic Procurement Cabinet Committee Council Council

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

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

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

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

MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN