Transcript Afghanistan - British Geological Survey (BGS) | A world

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