# Afghanistan may have 1 trillion dollar minerals potential



## MastanKhan

Gentlemen and ladies,

WE are all in for a big surprise. And the surprise is that the u s may not leave afghanistan for ever.

Reason being---it will be disclosed that there are possibly trillions of dollars worth of minerals found in afganistan---something beyond the wildest dreams of afghans and its neighbours.

China, russia, iran----get ready for the new u s colony.

Pakistan---seems like your fortunes are again linked with those of the americans.

The is going to be some serious power posturing between india and pakistan.

So posters when you find that news---post it here.

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## kamakazi attack

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com 

 vs 

proxy war between uncle wang and uncle sam coming to afghanistan in the near future


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## AbuSalam

kamakazi attack said:


> U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com
> 
> vs
> 
> proxy war between uncle wang and uncle sam coming to afghanistan in the near future



no doubt India is pouring billions for reconstruction..


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## MastanKhan

Published: June 13, 2010
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LinkedinDiggMixxMySpaceYahoo! BuzzPermalink. WASHINGTON &#8212; The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials. 


Notes from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and other areas of conflict in the post-9/11 era.

Go to the Blog &#187;
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Graphic Minerals in Afghanistan.Readers' Comments
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The previously unknown deposits &#8212; including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium &#8212; are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe. 

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the &#8220;Saudi Arabia of lithium,&#8221; a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys. 

The vast scale of Afghanistan&#8217;s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said. 

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war. 

&#8220;There is stunning potential here,&#8221; Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. &#8220;There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.&#8221; 

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistan&#8217;s existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistan&#8217;s gross domestic product is only about $12 billion. 

&#8220;This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy,&#8221; said Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines. 

American and Afghan officials agreed to discuss the mineral discoveries at a difficult moment in the war in Afghanistan. The American-led offensive in Marja in southern Afghanistan has achieved only limited gains. Meanwhile, charges of corruption and favoritism continue to plague the Karzai government, and Mr. Karzai seems increasingly embittered toward the White House. 

So the Obama administration is hungry for some positive news to come out of Afghanistan. Yet the American officials also recognize that the mineral discoveries will almost certainly have a double-edged impact. 

Instead of bringing peace, the newfound mineral wealth could lead the Taliban to battle even more fiercely to regain control of the country. 

The corruption that is already rampant in the Karzai government could also be amplified by the new wealth, particularly if a handful of well-connected oligarchs, some with personal ties to the president, gain control of the resources. Just last year, Afghanistan&#8217;s minister of mines was accused by American officials of accepting a $30 million bribe to award China the rights to develop its copper mine. The minister has since been replaced. 

Endless fights could erupt between the central government in Kabul and provincial and tribal leaders in mineral-rich districts. Afghanistan has a national mining law, written with the help of advisers from the World Bank, but it has never faced a serious challenge. 

&#8220;No one has tested that law; no one knows how it will stand up in a fight between the central government and the provinces,&#8221; observed Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business and leader of the Pentagon team that discovered the deposits. 

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistan&#8217;s mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said. 

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. &#8220;The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible?&#8221; Mr. Brinkley said. &#8220;No one knows how this will work.&#8221; 

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. &#8220;This is a country that has no mining culture,&#8221; said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Survey&#8217;s international affairs program. &#8220;They&#8217;ve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.&#8221; 

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency. 

The Pentagon task force has already started trying to help the Afghans set up a system to deal with mineral development. International accounting firms that have expertise in mining contracts have been hired to consult with the Afghan Ministry of Mines, and technical data is being prepared to turn over to multinational mining companies and other potential foreign investors. The Pentagon is helping Afghan officials arrange to start seeking bids on mineral rights by next fall, officials said. 

&#8220;The Ministry of Mines is not ready to handle this,&#8221; Mr. Brinkley said. &#8220;We are trying to help them get ready.&#8221; 

Like much of the recent history of the country, the story of the discovery of Afghanistan&#8217;s mineral wealth is one of missed opportunities and the distractions of war. 

In 2004, American geologists, sent to Afghanistan as part of a broader reconstruction effort, stumbled across an intriguing series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country. They soon learned that the data had been collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but cast aside when the Soviets withdrew in 1989. 

During the chaos of the 1990s, when Afghanistan was mired in civil war and later ruled by the Taliban, a small group of Afghan geologists protected the charts by taking them home, and returned them to the Geological Survey&#8217;s library only after the American invasion and the ouster of the Taliban in 2001. 

&#8220;There were maps, but the development did not take place, because you had 30 to 35 years of war,&#8221; said Ahmad Hujabre, an Afghan engineer who worked for the Ministry of Mines in the 1970s. 

Armed with the old Russian charts, the United States Geological Survey began a series of aerial surveys of Afghanistan&#8217;s mineral resources in 2006, using advanced gravity and magnetic measuring equipment attached to an old Navy Orion P-3 aircraft that flew over about 70 percent of the country. 

The data from those flights was so promising that in 2007, the geologists returned for an even more sophisticated study, using an old British bomber equipped with instruments that offered a three-dimensional profile of mineral deposits below the earth&#8217;s surface. It was the most comprehensive geologic survey of Afghanistan ever conducted. 

The handful of American geologists who pored over the new data said the results were astonishing. 

But the results gathered dust for two more years, ignored by officials in both the American and Afghan governments. In 2009, a Pentagon task force that had created business development programs in Iraq was transferred to Afghanistan, and came upon the geological data. Until then, no one besides the geologists had bothered to look at the information &#8212; and no one had sought to translate the technical data to measure the potential economic value of the mineral deposits. 

Soon, the Pentagon business development task force brought in teams of American mining experts to validate the survey&#8217;s findings, and then briefed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Mr. Karzai. 

So far, the biggest mineral deposits discovered are of iron and copper, and the quantities are large enough to make Afghanistan a major world producer of both, United States officials said. Other finds include large deposits of niobium, a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel, rare earth elements and large gold deposits in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan. 

Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the world&#8217;s largest known lithium reserves. 

For the geologists who are now scouring some of the most remote stretches of Afghanistan to complete the technical studies necessary before the international bidding process is begun, there is a growing sense that they are in the midst of one of the great discoveries of their careers. 

&#8220;On the ground, it&#8217;s very, very, promising,&#8221; Mr. Medlin said. &#8220;Actually, it&#8217;s pretty amazing.&#8221;

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## navtrek

*U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan*







WASHINGTON  The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits  including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium  are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the Saudi Arabia of lithium, a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.

The vast scale of Afghanistans mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war.

There is stunning potential here, Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistans existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistans gross domestic product is only about $12 billion.

This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy, said Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines.

American and Afghan officials agreed to discuss the mineral discoveries at a difficult moment in the war in Afghanistan. The American-led offensive in Marja in southern Afghanistan has achieved only limited gains. Meanwhile, charges of corruption and favoritism continue to plague the Karzai government, and Mr. Karzai seems increasingly embittered toward the White House.

So the Obama administration is hungry for some positive news to come out of Afghanistan. Yet the American officials also recognize that the mineral discoveries will almost certainly have a double-edged impact.

Instead of bringing peace, the newfound mineral wealth could lead the Taliban to battle even more fiercely to regain control of the country.

The corruption that is already rampant in the Karzai government could also be amplified by the new wealth, particularly if a handful of well-connected oligarchs, some with personal ties to the president, gain control of the resources. Just last year, Afghanistans minister of mines was accused by American officials of accepting a $30 million bribe to award China the rights to develop its copper mine. The minister has since been replaced.

Endless fights could erupt between the central government in Kabul and provincial and tribal leaders in mineral-rich districts. Afghanistan has a national mining law, written with the help of advisers from the World Bank, but it has never faced a serious challenge.

No one has tested that law; no one knows how it will stand up in a fight between the central government and the provinces, observed Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business and leader of the Pentagon team that discovered the deposits.

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistans mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible? Mr. Brinkley said. No one knows how this will work.

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. This is a country that has no mining culture, said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Surveys international affairs program. Theyve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency. 

The Pentagon task force has already started trying to help the Afghans set up a system to deal with mineral development. International accounting firms that have expertise in mining contracts have been hired to consult with the Afghan Ministry of Mines, and technical data is being prepared to turn over to multinational mining companies and other potential foreign investors. The Pentagon is helping Afghan officials arrange to start seeking bids on mineral rights by next fall, officials said.

The Ministry of Mines is not ready to handle this, Mr. Brinkley said. We are trying to help them get ready.

Like much of the recent history of the country, the story of the discovery of Afghanistans mineral wealth is one of missed opportunities and the distractions of war.

In 2004, American geologists, sent to Afghanistan as part of a broader reconstruction effort, stumbled across an intriguing series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country. They soon learned that the data had been collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but cast aside when the Soviets withdrew in 1989.

During the chaos of the 1990s, when Afghanistan was mired in civil war and later ruled by the Taliban, a small group of Afghan geologists protected the charts by taking them home, and returned them to the Geological Surveys library only after the American invasion and the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.

There were maps, but the development did not take place, because you had 30 to 35 years of war, said Ahmad Hujabre, an Afghan engineer who worked for the Ministry of Mines in the 1970s.

Armed with the old Russian charts, the United States Geological Survey began a series of aerial surveys of Afghanistans mineral resources in 2006, using advanced gravity and magnetic measuring equipment attached to an old Navy Orion P-3 aircraft that flew over about 70 percent of the country.

The data from those flights was so promising that in 2007, the geologists returned for an even more sophisticated study, using an old British bomber equipped with instruments that offered a three-dimensional profile of mineral deposits below the earths surface. It was the most comprehensive geologic survey of Afghanistan ever conducted.

The handful of American geologists who pored over the new data said the results were astonishing.

But the results gathered dust for two more years, ignored by officials in both the American and Afghan governments. In 2009, a Pentagon task force that had created business development programs in Iraq was transferred to Afghanistan, and came upon the geological data. Until then, no one besides the geologists had bothered to look at the information  and no one had sought to translate the technical data to measure the potential economic value of the mineral deposits.

Soon, the Pentagon business development task force brought in teams of American mining experts to validate the surveys findings, and then briefed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Mr. Karzai.

So far, the biggest mineral deposits discovered are of iron and copper, and the quantities are large enough to make Afghanistan a major world producer of both, United States officials said. Other finds include large deposits of niobium, a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel, rare earth elements and large gold deposits in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan.

Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the worlds largest known lithium reserves.

For the geologists who are now scouring some of the most remote stretches of Afghanistan to complete the technical studies necessary before the international bidding process is begun, there is a growing sense that they are in the midst of one of the great discoveries of their careers.

On the ground, its very, very, promising, Mr. Medlin said. Actually, its pretty amazing. 

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com

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## navtrek

*Mineral wealth of Afghanistan*

*Introduction*






Afghanistan has extensive deposits of 
1.barite 
2.chromite
3.coal 
4.copper
5.gold
6.iron ore
7.lead
8.natural gas
9.petroleum
10.precious and semiprecious stones
11.salt
12.sulfur
13.talc and 
14.zinc. 

Precious and semiprecious stones include high-quality emerald, lapis lazuli, and ruby. 






*Problems in utilizing this wealth for development and nation building*



> 1. Instability in certain areas of the country.
> 2. the country&#8217;s remote and rugged terrain, and an inadequate infrastructure and transportation network making mining of these deposits difficult.
> 3.Use primitive methods and outdated equipments.
> 4. Approximately 200 mines, some of which were still under the control of local warlords as of 2006.


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## Omar1984

The world knew this for years that Afghanistan is rich in natural resources. Pakistan and almost all of Central Asia is rich in natural resources. If all these countries used their natural resources then they would not still be 3rd world countries.

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## navtrek

China is ahead in terms of USA coz when it comes to raw materials they never miss an opportunity 

this is how ?

A public tender was called for mining the Aybak copper deposit in 2006 with a deadline of October 28, 2006, and expected the granting of concessions in February 2007.

*Competition:* Nine mining companies from Australia, China, India, and the United States were interested in the prospect.


*Winner:* *China Metallurgical Group* won the bidding for a copper mining project in Aybak, Afghanistan. 

But



> The bidding process has been criticized by rival Canadian and U.S. companies alleging corruption and questioning the Chinese company's commitment to the Afghan people.



http://www.bgs.ac.uk/AfghanMinerals/docs/Aynak_A4.pdf


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## Omar1984

navtrek said:


> China is ahead in terms of USA coz when it comes to raw materials they never miss an opportunity
> 
> this is how ?
> 
> A public tender was called for mining the Aybak copper deposit in 2006 with a deadline of October 28, 2006, and expected the granting of concessions in February 2007.
> 
> *Competition:* Nine mining companies from Australia, China, India, and the United States were interested in the prospect.
> 
> 
> *Winner:* *China Metallurgical Group* won the bidding for a copper mining project in Aybak, Afghanistan.
> 
> But
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.bgs.ac.uk/AfghanMinerals/docs/Aynak_A4.pdf



Good for China and good for Afghanistan.

It would be in Afghanistan's best interest to work well with the world's next superpower, who is also Afghanistan's immediate neighbour

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## mjnaushad

So US is not leaving us


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## navtrek

*China ahead *







An internal Pentagon memo said Afghanistan could become the *"Saudi Arabia of lithium"*, the New York Times said. Lithium is a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and other electronics such as mobile telephones.

Afghanistan does not have any mining industry or infrastructure, so it will take decades for the country to exploit its mineral wealth fully, the paper quoted US officials as saying.

The report about the country's untapped wealth is likely to intensify competition among regional players such as China, India and even Russia for a greater role in exploiting those resources.

*Two Chinese firms have committed themselves to a $ 4 billion investment in the vast Aynak copper mine, south of Kabul, the biggest non-military foreign investment so far in the country.*

Another big contract to mine an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of high-quality iron ore in the remote mountainous region of Hajigak is expected to open for international bidding this year.

*



Firms from India and China are eyeing the contract, which the Afghan mines ministry says is the largest unmined iron deposit in Asia.

Click to expand...

*
According to the US study, *



the biggest deposits discovered so far are of iron and copper and the quantities are large enough to make Afghanistan a major world producer.

Click to expand...

*Other finds include large deposits of niobium, a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel, rare earth elements and large gold deposits in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan.

Afghanistan holds trillion-dollar mineral treasure - World - ibnlive


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## S_O_C_O_M

Its already been known for a long time that Afghanistan is rich in these resources. Widely publicizing this now is most likely a political move to gain support for this war.

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## navtrek

Omar1984 said:


> Good for China and good for Afghanistan.
> 
> It would be in Afghanistan's best interest to work well with the world's next superpower, who is also Afghanistan's immediate neighbour



Not entirely true but it all depends on the two Chinese companies coz ultimately there should be development of common afghan people otherwise there will be growing tensions btw them and the company leading to a feeling of being exploited.

Hope these firms use a lot of local population in mining. Instead of bringing in highly skilled employees from China.

though the idea is practical but will have a lot of negative impacts.


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## Kinetic

Omar1984 said:


> Good for China and good for Afghanistan.
> 
> It would be in Afghanistan's best interest to work well with the world's next superpower, who is also Afghanistan's immediate neighbour



Uncle will not let that happen.  While NATO forces are their and India's effort it will be impossible for countries like China to get any benefit from Afghanistan. Mainly NATO countries followed by Russia and India will benefit from it. Forget China.


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## navtrek

*China's thirst for copper could hold key to Afghanistan's future*

JALREZ VALLEY, Afghanistan  In this Taliban stronghold in the mountains south of Kabul, the U.S. Army is providing the security that will enable China to exploit one of the world's largest unexploited deposits of copper, earn tens of billions of dollars and feed its voracious appetite for raw materials.

U.S. troops set up bases last month along a dirt track that a Chinese firm is paving as part of a $3 billion project to gain access to the Aynak copper reserves. Some troops made camp outside a compound built for the Chinese road crews, who are about to return from winter break. American forces also have expanded their presence in neighboring Logar province, where the Aynak deposit is.

The U.S. deployment wasn't intended to protect the Chinese investment  the largest in Afghanistan's history  but to strangle Taliban infiltration into the capital of Kabul. But if the mission provides the security that a project to revive Afghanistan's economy needs, the synergy will be welcome.

"When you have men who don't have jobs, you can't bring peace," said Abdel Rahman Ashraf, a German-trained geology professor who's Afghan President Hamid Karzai's chief mining and energy adviser.

"When we take money and invest it in a project like Aynak, we give jobs to the people." Indeed, the project could inject hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties and taxes into Afghanistan's meager coffers and create thousands of desperately needed jobs.

Beijing faces enormous challenges in completing the project and gaining access to the estimated 240 million tons of copper ore that are accessible through surface mining. Taliban-led insurgents operate in large parts of Logar and Wardak; the area is sown with mines; and China must complete an ambitious set of infrastructure projects, including Afghanistan's first national railway, as part of the deal.

China's willingness to gamble so much in one of the world's poorest and riskiest nations testifies to its determination to acquire the commodities it needs to maintain its economic growth and social stability.

In Mt. Toromocho in the Peruvian Andes, for example, the only copper deposit said to be larger than Aynak, China is relocating a town and its inhabitants to get at a mountain of copper ore.

"Why the Chinese? Because they have money, they have lots of money," Ashraf said. "One day, when there is no more copper elsewhere in the world, the Chinese will have copper."

"If they (Chinese leaders) don't feed their immense industrial complex, their populace could become disruptive," said a Western official, who asked not to be further identified so he could speak freely. "We expect to see more such competitions" over Afghanistan's huge untapped reserves of natural resources.

Although China is contributing a much smaller share of the more than $25 billion in international assistance that's been pledged to Afghanistan since 2001 than the U.S. is, the Obama administration isn't complaining. China's investment in Aynak dovetails with the administration's emerging strategy for ending the war in part by delivering on unfulfilled vows to better the lives of the poor Afghans who constitute the vast majority of the Taliban's foot soldiers.

"The problem of security, the problem of the Taliban, we cannot solve these problems with the military," Ashraf said.

Site preparation work has begun. But it'll be some years before state-owned China Metallurgical Construction Corp. can begin the projected 15 to 20 years of production at the site 30 miles south of Kabul.

Copper is used in everything from batteries and electrical wire to computers and coins. International prices were high when MCC won the 30-year lease in April 2007  one estimate at that time put the potential earnings at $42 billion  but they've fallen dramatically since. Still, China and Afghanistan stand to make a healthy profit, especially if demand recovers as expected.

The site was discovered by an Afghan-Soviet team in 1974. However, in the face of armed resistance during their 1979-89 occupation of Afghanistan, the Soviets were never able to develop the site or harvest the ore.

The main challenge to MCC is the Taliban, who moved into Kabul's southern fringes after China clinched the deal, prompting the January deployment in Logar and Wardak of more than 2,000 troops from the Army's 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, N.Y. On Tuesday, a roadside bomb injured three policemen protecting a crew building an access road to Aynak.

"We have stopped our work," said Noorzaman Stanakzai, the road contractor. "The enemies of Afghanistan are preventing families from putting loaves of bread in their children's mouths."

Other challenges include transporting equipment and materials into the landlocked nation from Pakistan and Central Asia; Kabul's inexperience in handling massive projects; endemic corruption  World Bank monitors, however, blessed the Aynak bidding process  lax enforcement of laws and the global economic meltdown.

Moreover, China must deliver the infrastructure projects that helped it snag the deal over six rivals, including Phelps Dodge Corp., which was acquired by Phoenix-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. in 2007.

These include an onsite copper smelter, a $500 million generating station to power the project and augment Kabul's electricity supply, a coal mine to fuel the power station, a groundwater system, roads, new homes, hospitals and schools for mine workers and their families, and a railway line from the country's northern border with Uzbekistan to its southeastern border with Pakistan.

The deal, Ashraf said, is structured so that by the seventh year, the entire work force will be Afghan. Beginning in 2010, 60 Afghan engineering students a year will study in China, he said, adding that Chinese language courses have begun at Kabul University.

Employment projections vary, but there's general agreement that as many as 10,000 workers could be hired at Aynak and the coal mine in central Afghanistan, which the Jalrez Valley road project will link to the copper field. The railway will need thousands more.

Tens of thousands of indirect jobs are also projected to be created.

"The big question is whether they (China) will deliver on all that or not," said a second Western official, who requested anonymity to speak freely. "The transparency going forward will be all important. We don't want this great resource potential to become a great resource curse, as has happened in other countries."

There may be some cause for concern.

A January 2008 report by Integrity Watch Afghanistan, a European research group, said that MCC extracted more copper than expected from a mine in Sandaik, Pakistan, but that the project has "had virtually no spillover effect on the local economy to date."

The report also warned of the potential for an "environmental and social disaster" if Aynak isn't properly managed, noting that the area is home to some 90,000 people and a source of Kabul's water supply.

Ashraf said that the government will ensure that MCC takes rigorous precautions, including systems to store the highly toxic wastes produced by copper smelting.

"The sediment will go into a holding lake, and the water will be cleaned and then provided for agriculture," said Ashraf, a veteran geologist who's worked the world over, including in China.

China may hope that the Aynak deal will help it position it to compete for more projects in Afghanistan, where three tectonic plates converge. The region is thought to hold some of the world's last major untapped deposits of iron, copper, gold, uranium, precious gems and other raw materials.

"It's the last frontier," said the second Western official.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that Afghanistan also has more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil  almost untapped since soldiers of Alexander the Great discovered pools of oil in the north more than 2,000 years ago  and 15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Two other major copper deposits are close to Aynak, and the government is preparing to solicit bids for a lease to develop the Hajigak iron mine, which Minister of Mines Ibrahim Adil last year said contains an estimated 60 billion tons of ore.

Ashraf said that China and India have shown an interest in Hajigak.

"When we have a little security here, this will be a paradise to come and mine," he said. "We are near the markets. Those markets are China and India. The transportation is not difficult. The difficulty is that everyone says, 'We must have security and then we will invest.'"

China&#39;s thirst for copper could hold key to Afghanistan&#39;s future | McClatchy


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## Omar1984

Kinetic said:


> Uncle will not let that happen.  While NATO forces are their and India's effort it will be impossible for countries like China to get any benefit from Afghanistan. Mainly NATO countries followed by Russia and India will benefit from it. Forget China.



We'll see about that. Do you think China will ever let india have a piece of the pie that they worked so hard for? Never.

And U.S and NATO countries do not care about india or india's interest they just care about their own interests.

india would be the last country to get anything from Afghanistan. india is in the core of south asia and it shall stay in that core forever.

Try digging for minerals in Bhutan maybe you'll get something from there


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## navtrek

^^^^ Come on guys don't u read the articles am posting China has already started mining in Afghanistan.

And NATO has nothing to do with it  Its pure business.


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## navtrek

Omar1984 said:


> We'll see about that. Do you think China will ever let india have a piece of the pie that they worked so hard for? Never.
> 
> And U.S and NATO countries do not care about india or india's interest they just care about their own interests.
> 
> india would be the last country to get anything from Afghanistan. india is in the core of south asia and it shall stay in that core forever.
> 
> Try digging for minerals in Bhutan maybe you'll get something from there



So much for anti India sentiments

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## Pak123

Updated at: 0838 PST, Monday, June 14, 2010
WASHINGTON: US geologists have discovered nearly *one trillion dollars' worth* of untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, including vast reserves of copper and lithium, the New York Times reported Monday.	

The deposits, which also include huge veins of iron, gold, niobium and cobalt, are enough to turn the* battle-scarred country into one of the world's leading mining exporters*, senior US government officials told the Times.	

Afghanistan's potential lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which currently has the world's largest known lithium reserves, the Times said.	

Lithium is a key mineral used in rechargeable batteries, as well as everything from cell phones and laptops to electric cars.	

*Afghanistan has so much of it that it could become the "Saudi Arabia of lithium,"* according to an internal Pentagon memo quoted by the newspaper.	

*The iron and copper deposits are large enough to make Afghanistan one of the world's top producers, US officials said.	
*
"There is stunning potential here," General David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command, told the newspaper. "There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant."	

*"This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy," Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines, told the Times.	*

A small team of US geologists and Pentagon officials uncovered the mineral wealth with help from charts and data collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.	

Afghan geologists took the charts home to protect them during the chaos that followed the Soviet withdrawal, and produced them again in 2001 with the fall of the Taliban, the Times said.	

"There were maps, but the development did not take place, because you had 30 to 35 years of war," Ahmad Hujabre, an Afghan engineer who worked for the Ministry of Mines in the 1970s, told the Times.	

President Hamid Karzai was recently briefed on the finding, US officials told the newspaper.

Source: Huge mineral riches found in Afghanistan - GEO.tv


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## kamakazi attack

unfortnately for India China has very deep pockets. 

from the American perspective they are would be foolish to try to horde everything to themselves. The last thing the US want to do is to make it look like they in a muslim country for its natural resources.

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## kamakazi attack

navtrek said:


> Not entirely true but it all depends on the two Chinese companies coz ultimately there should be development of common afghan people otherwise there will be growing tensions btw them and the company leading to a feeling of being exploited.
> 
> Hope these firms use a lot of local population in mining. Instead of bringing in highly skilled employees from China.
> 
> though the idea is practical but will have a lot of negative impacts.



the majority of the common afghan just like their counterparts will barely see a dime. Whether its the Chinese, Europeans, Americans...whey will enrich the elite to get to the oil and other resources. 

the only difference is that Europeans and American claim the higher moral ground.


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## johnny boy

its a damn race for money and whoever is smart enough will win da race.simple.


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## &#20013;&#22269;&#19975;&#23681;-ProsperThroughCo-

As long as the U.S. don't mine, I wish that either China, India or Pakistan do the mining. I think it's such a waste to let a country thousands of miles away to do the mining, when neighbouring countries can do it cheaper and better.


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## Omar1984

&#20013;&#22269;&#19975;&#23681;-ProsperThroughCo-op;929965 said:


> As long as the U.S. don't mine, I wish that either China, India or Pakistan do the mining. I think it's such a waste to let a country thousands of miles away to do the mining, when neighbouring countries can do it cheaper and better.



Well India is not Afghanistan's neighbour. India and Afghanistan share no border. Pakistan is Afghanistan's neighbour but has no interest in Afghanistan's natural resources. Pakistan has many of its own natural resources in its southern provinces that still remains untapped to this day.


So China should do the mining in Afghanistan


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## Hussein

&#20013;&#22269;&#19975;&#23681;-ProsperThroughCo-op;929965 said:


> As long as the U.S. don't mine, I wish that either China, India or Pakistan do the mining. I think it's such a waste to let a country thousands of miles away to do the mining, when neighbouring countries can do it cheaper and better.



Should be our afghan brothers
with the help of the experience of many countries experts

China is taking too much of our economies
Let's be careful

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## Ahmad

People already knew about minerals/resources in Afghanistna, but this report i think says the country has than previiousely thought. Afghanistan can can never take advantage of those minerals on its own as techonology/experts/funding etc is non existent there. they have to have a reliable country or least worst one to derive it for them and both can share it. i have heard from some local people that they are not happy the way the chineese operate, especially the coper in logar and even they are too slow with road construction(they have taken the contracts) as well as dont give a chance to the local manpower.

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## Ahmad

Hussein said:


> Should be our afghan brothers
> with the help of the experience of many countries experts
> 
> China is taking too much of our economies
> Let's be careful



I am not sure if you know or not, Iran is builing a new railway line from Iran to the central asian countries, it has already been completed from iran to herat. that will hugely boost the economy for all the neighbouring countires especially afghanistan. by the way, another road has already been built in the west of the country by India connecting iran to afghanistna. i couldnt find the actual link to post it here.

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## Kinetic

Omar1984 said:


> We'll see about that. Do you think China will ever let india have a piece of the pie that they worked so hard for? Never.


Again China is this and China is that? You can't stop imagining about China? Come to reality. Its only starting we can see which country has more power in Afghanistan. 


> And U.S and NATO countries do not care about india or india's interest they just care about their own interests.


Just like any other country. China and India also think about their interests not yours. 



> india would be the last country to get anything from Afghanistan. india is in the core of south asia and it shall stay in that core forever.


We can see that. India is the nucleus of this region but we have shown that we are present in Afghanistan and other countries as well. 



> Try digging for minerals in Bhutan maybe you'll get something from there


We are already generating hydro electric power from Bhutan thats what they can give us and giving. Let see what Afghanistan can contribute.

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## SpArK

Ahmad said:


> I am not sure if you know or not, Iran is builing a new railway line from Iran to the central asian countries, it has already been completed from iran to herat. that will hugely boost the economy for all the neighbouring countires especially afghanistan. by the way, another road has already been built in the west of the country by India connecting iran to afghanistna. i couldnt find the actual link to post it here.





Its called Zaranj-Delaram road.

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## Ahmad

BENNY said:


> Its called Zaranj-Delaram road.



This is a crucial road and it dramatically cuts afghanistan's dependance on the others, if the railway line is completed, that will be another huge achievement.

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## Kinetic

Omar1984 said:


> Well India is not Afghanistan's neighbour. India and Afghanistan share no border. Pakistan is Afghanistan's neighbour but has no interest in Afghanistan's natural resources. Pakistan has many of its own natural resources in its southern provinces that still remains untapped to this day.





India is not Afghanistan's neighbor!!! So what? As Saudi Arabia and Pakistan don't share a border, Pakistan doesn't buy oil from KSA? What a logic!!! 

Also Afghanistan and India has a very close relation.



> So China should do the mining in Afghanistan



 Its like King of KSA giving free hand to China in all oil fields in Saudi Arabia! Who are you to decide that? Mines of Afghanistan belongs to Afghans, whether India or US or China mining them will be decided by them only. Its just starting...

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## Imranmair

Omar1984 said:


> . Pakistan is Afghanistan's neighbour but has no interest in Afghanistan's natural resources. Pakistan has many of its own natural resources in its southern provinces that still remains untapped to this day.
> 
> So China should do the mining in Afghanistan



who r u & me to decide whom should mine Afganistan..it cannot be pakistan becoze u people have no money at all..even to mine ur country within. u can invite ur chinees friends to do the same..but even theyre not interested becoze its not that worth doing mining biziness in Pakistan..too bad quality minerals..

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## SpArK

*Pentagon 'Discovers' Huge Lithium Deposit in Afganistan*

From the "re-positioning of old news' file: as quoted in the New York Times story about a trillion dollar minerals discovery in Afganistan, U.S. Discovers Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan ""There is stunning potential here," Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. "There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.""

Does the timing of this news have some significance born out of desperation? More on that likelihood down the page.

*The Russians apparently made the first discoveries of these diverse and large-scale Afgan mineral deposits; and it was a 2009 USGS review of the Russian findings which led to this "re-finding.'*

This was known in 2004, at the end of George W Bush's first administration.
In 2004, American geologists, sent to Afghanistan as part of a broader reconstruction effort, stumbled across an intriguing series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country. They soon learned that the data had been collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but cast aside when the Soviets withdrew in 1989.
Telling that the US military commander is quoted.
According to a year-old story by Reuters, and published on Mining Exploration News, all of this was well known back in April of 2009. So, it's mostly rinse and repeat spin.

*China, of course has been going after some of the Afgan minerals for over two years.*

A U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) had shown the war-torn nation may hold far higher amounts of minerals than previously thought, *with iron deposits alone estimated at between five to six billion tonnes*, minister Mohammad Ibrahim Adel said.
He urged foreign firms to invest in the sector, and said he did not think the security situation would deter them.

China's top integrated copper producer, Jiangxi Copper Co (0358.HK), and China Metallurgical Group Corp, are going ahead with exploration of the vast Aynak Copper Mine, south of Kabul, after they won the contract to develop it last year [2008].

The first-linked NY Times report indicated that some of the deposits are near the Pakistan-Afganistan border; and, so its not sure how well any this belated PR will work out for US businesses wishing to exploit the minerals. They might do well to let the Chinese have first crack at it like everything else.




*I wish these deposits revenue go into the future benefits of Afghanistan people.*

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## navtrek

Omar1984 said:


> Well India is not Afghanistan's neighbour. India and Afghanistan share no border. Pakistan is Afghanistan's neighbour but has no interest in Afghanistan's natural resources. Pakistan has many of its own natural resources in its southern provinces that still remains untapped to this day.
> 
> 
> So China should do the mining in Afghanistan



I really cant believe ur logic . Dont worry and pls dont be so biased.

Moreover the best bidder gets the contract so lets wait and watch


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## prototype

kamakazi attack said:


> unfortnately for India China has very deep pockets.
> 
> from the American perspective they are would be foolish to try to horde everything to themselves. The last thing the US want to do is to make it look like they in a muslim country for its natural resources.



by the same logic china is also left far behind bu u.s

dont make ur perspective the american one,u.s will die to have its hand on all the natural resources,it is one and only thing for which in future all wars will b fought


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## prototype

Omar1984 said:


> Well India is not Afghanistan's neighbour. India and Afghanistan share no border. Pakistan is Afghanistan's neighbour but has no interest in Afghanistan's natural resources. Pakistan has many of its own natural resources in its southern provinces that still remains untapped to this day.
> 
> 
> So China should do the mining in Afghanistan



and how came this logic,those who dont have borders don't mine,by the same logic i think iran should b the only nation who should b mining there


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## ice_man

NYT: The U.S. has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, enough to fundamentally alter the country's economy and the war, officials say.

msnbc.com U.S. & World News - Vast mineral deposits found in Afghanistan


WASHINGTON: US geologists have discovered nearly one trillion dollars' worth of untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, including vast reserves of copper and lithium, the New York Times reported Monday.
*
The deposits, which also include huge veins of iron, gold, niobium and cobalt*, are enough to turn the battle-scarred country into one of the world's leading mining exporters, senior US government officials told the Times.

*Afghanistan's potential lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia*, which currently has the world's largest known lithium reserves, the Times said.

Lithium is a key mineral used in rechargeable batteries, as well as everything from cell phones and laptops to electric cars.
*
Afghanistan has so much of it that it could become the "Saudi Arabia of lithium*," according to an internal Pentagon memo quoted by the newspaper.

The iron and copper deposits are large enough to make Afghanistan one of the world's top producers, US officials said.

"There is stunning potential here," General David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command, told the newspaper. "There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant."

"This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy," Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines, told the Times.

A small team of US geologists and Pentagon officials uncovered the mineral wealth with help from charts and data collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Afghan geologists took the charts home to protect them during the chaos that followed the Soviet withdrawal, and produced them again in 2001 with the fall of the Taliban, the Times said.

"There were maps, but the development did not take place, because you had 30 to 35 years of war," Ahmad Hujabre, an Afghan engineer who worked for the Ministry of Mines in the 1970s, told the Times.

President Hamid Karzai was recently briefed on the finding, US officials told the newspaper. 

Huge mineral riches found in Afghanistan


*MISSION AFGHANISTAN ACCOMPLISHED BY THE USA!*


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## ice_man

GET READY BOYS!!! THE NEW GOLD RUSH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!


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## Ahmad

so many threads regarding this issue, they should all be merged.


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## Uckrudeen

ice_man said:


> GET READY BOYS!!! THE NEW GOLD RUSH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!



How does the barber gets benefit if goats have hair ?


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## gambit

Yup...It is to be expected that soon enough, some fool is going to insinuate that the US is in Afghanistan to steal its oil...ooopsss...I mean its minerals...


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## Ahmad

gambit said:


> Yup...It is to be expected that soon enough, some fool is going to insinuate that the US is in Afghanistan to steal its oil...ooopsss...I mean its minerals...



I dont think america is that stupid to go mine diging in this stage, that is why china is taking advantage of it because america is not interested in that at the moment. even if america is interested then that should be good as it creates more competition and afghanistan can get a better deal. since america has more adavnced machinery and money, i prefere it to go with them.


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## prototype

i dont care who ever mines there and take out the resources,but the only people who should get benefit from it must b afgan people,after all this is there land,atleat they have that rights


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## gambit

The problem here is that Afghanistan does not have a federal authority that can earn, let alone has, the respect of the Afghans. That lack of respect is more from ignorance, and I do not mean that word in an insulting manner. Absent a respected federal authority who can speak up for and at least morally defend Afghanistan's sovereign rights, the Afghan land itself is wide open for exploitation without compensation for the people. China is not going to respect Afghan's sovereign rights. Neither will any powerful despot in the region that can reach into Afghanistan. Each will make his own deals with the local Afghan warlord. And the US in trying to make the Karzai government reasonably respectable we will make mistakes along the way and those mistakes will serve US up as a convenient scapegoat for the blame game over exploitations of the Afghan land by other parties.


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## FreekiN

At least the Afghanistan now has something to look forward too...

The international community should help set up this resource collection.


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## ice_man

MODS merge the threads please!!!!!!!! thank you!


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## sparklingway

*U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan*​Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

By JAMES RISEN
Published: June 13, 2010

WASHINGTON  The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

*The previously unknown deposits  including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium  are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.*

*An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the Saudi Arabia of lithium, a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.*

The vast scale of Afghanistans mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war.

There is stunning potential here, Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistans existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistans gross domestic product is only about $12 billion.

This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy, said Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines.

American and Afghan officials agreed to discuss the mineral discoveries at a difficult moment in the war in Afghanistan. The American-led offensive in Marja in southern Afghanistan has achieved only limited gains. Meanwhile, charges of corruption and favoritism continue to plague the Karzai government, and Mr. Karzai seems increasingly embittered toward the White House.

So the Obama administration is hungry for some positive news to come out of Afghanistan. Yet the American officials also recognize that the mineral discoveries will almost certainly have a double-edged impact.

Instead of bringing peace, the newfound mineral wealth could lead the Taliban to battle even more fiercely to regain control of the country.

The corruption that is already rampant in the Karzai government could also be amplified by the new wealth, particularly if a handful of well-connected oligarchs, some with personal ties to the president, gain control of the resources. Just last year, Afghanistans minister of mines was accused by American officials of accepting a $30 million bribe to award China the rights to develop its copper mine. The minister has since been replaced.

Endless fights could erupt between the central government in Kabul and provincial and tribal leaders in mineral-rich districts. Afghanistan has a national mining law, written with the help of advisers from the World Bank, but it has never faced a serious challenge.

No one has tested that law; no one knows how it will stand up in a fight between the central government and the provinces, observed Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business and leader of the Pentagon team that discovered the deposits.

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistans mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible? Mr. Brinkley said. No one knows how this will work.

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. This is a country that has no mining culture, said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Surveys international affairs program. Theyve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency.

The Pentagon task force has already started trying to help the Afghans set up a system to deal with mineral development. International accounting firms that have expertise in mining contracts have been hired to consult with the Afghan Ministry of Mines, and technical data is being prepared to turn over to multinational mining companies and other potential foreign investors. The Pentagon is helping Afghan officials arrange to start seeking bids on mineral rights by next fall, officials said.
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The Ministry of Mines is not ready to handle this, Mr. Brinkley said. We are trying to help them get ready.

Like much of the recent history of the country, the story of the discovery of Afghanistans mineral wealth is one of missed opportunities and the distractions of war.

In 2004, American geologists, sent to Afghanistan as part of a broader reconstruction effort, stumbled across an intriguing series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country. They soon learned that the data had been collected by Soviet mining experts during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, but cast aside when the Soviets withdrew in 1989.

During the chaos of the 1990s, when Afghanistan was mired in civil war and later ruled by the Taliban, a small group of Afghan geologists protected the charts by taking them home, and returned them to the Geological Surveys library only after the American invasion and the ouster of the Taliban in 2001.

There were maps, but the development did not take place, because you had 30 to 35 years of war, said Ahmad Hujabre, an Afghan engineer who worked for the Ministry of Mines in the 1970s.

Armed with the old Russian charts, the United States Geological Survey began a series of aerial surveys of Afghanistans mineral resources in 2006, using advanced gravity and magnetic measuring equipment attached to an old Navy Orion P-3 aircraft that flew over about 70 percent of the country.

The data from those flights was so promising that in 2007, the geologists returned for an even more sophisticated study, using an old British bomber equipped with instruments that offered a three-dimensional profile of mineral deposits below the earths surface. It was the most comprehensive geologic survey of Afghanistan ever conducted.

The handful of American geologists who pored over the new data said the results were astonishing.

But the results gathered dust for two more years, ignored by officials in both the American and Afghan governments. In 2009, a Pentagon task force that had created business development programs in Iraq was transferred to Afghanistan, and came upon the geological data. Until then, no one besides the geologists had bothered to look at the information  and no one had sought to translate the technical data to measure the potential economic value of the mineral deposits.

Soon, the Pentagon business development task force brought in teams of American mining experts to validate the surveys findings, and then briefed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Mr. Karzai.

So far, the biggest mineral deposits discovered are of iron and copper, and the quantities are large enough to make Afghanistan a major world producer of both, United States officials said. Other finds include large deposits of niobium, a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel, rare earth elements and large gold deposits in Pashtun areas of southern Afghanistan.

*Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the worlds largest known lithium reserves.*

For the geologists who are now scouring some of the most remote stretches of Afghanistan to complete the technical studies necessary before the international bidding process is begun, there is a growing sense that they are in the midst of one of the great discoveries of their careers.

On the ground, its very, very, promising, Mr. Medlin said. Actually, its pretty amazing.


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## Cheetah786

double post mods please close this thank u


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## sparklingway

*Conspiracy theorists Christmas?* 

There's always been a faction out there who would enjoy this as the greatest news ever for they found the "economic" reason behind th invasion now. This is the main reason behind American invasion of Afghanistan. These riches had been missing, but that must have been deliberate to hide the main reason of the war.

"The vast scale of Afghanistan&#8217;s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists." - hmmm... stress 'Pentagon officials', hunting down minerals in their spare time, when they are free from hunting down Qaeda terrorists.

*Let the loonies go crazy on this one at least! *


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## U-571

sparklingway said:


> *Conspiracy theorists Christmas?*
> 
> There's always been a faction out there who would enjoy this as the greatest news ever for they found the "economic" reason behind th invasion now. This is the main reason behind American invasion of Afghanistan. These riches had been missing, but that must have been deliberate to hide the main reason of the war.
> 
> "The vast scale of Afghanistans mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists." - hmmm... stress 'Pentagon officials', hunting down minerals in their spare time, when they are free from hunting down Qaeda terrorists.
> 
> *Let the loonies go crazy on this one at least! *



and guess what abt you, always here to protect and legitimize uncle sam wrong doings, we all are wrong, uncle sam is always right!!

be prepared to pack your bag and migrate other country, for uncle sam will be bankrupt in next few years or a decade!!

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## Ahmad

U-571 said:


> and guess what abt you, always here to protect and legitimize uncle sam wrong doings, we all are wrong, uncle sam is always right!!
> 
> be prepared to pack your bag and migrate other country, for uncle sam will be bankrupt in next few years or a decade!!



I believe he is more concernd about people being stuck with conspiracy theories which does not have real existence and can badly mislead the public, these theories will only get people to the wrong directions. I dont believe america is always right, but i believe they are not always wrong either. if people are really concered about the afghans and are really showing sympathy with us, they should pray that america succed in this struggle no matter what their motives are. Their victory will result in peace in the country and a stable gov in place. Some people should avoid scoring points on the expenses of afghans and cheer if somethig goes wrong in the country.

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## sparklingway

U-571 said:


> and guess what abt you, always here to protect and legitimize uncle sam wrong doings, we all are wrong, uncle sam is always right!!



I cannot care less about personal attacks



> be prepared to pack your bag and migrate other country, for uncle sam will be bankrupt in next few years or a decade!!



How did you come to the conclusion that I'm living here permanently? Anyways, enjoy the UK as that is a shorter flight to Pakistan than from the US.

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## smali183

I think this is the new game of USa......they are losing WAR in afghan.. and want to Escape from afghanistan with respect Now thery are growing Markting of the natural sorces of the afghanistan to create the attaention of the big hunters like chine,india,russia etc which are not invol in the afghan war.


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## T-Faz

> *October 5, 2001: Study Reveals Significant Oil and Gas Deposits in Afghanistan*
> 
> Contrary to popular belief,* Afghanistan &#8220;has significant oil and gas deposits. During the Soviets&#8217; decade-long occupation of Afghanistan, Moscow estimated Afghanistan&#8217;s proven and probable natural gas reserves at around five trillion cubic feet and production reached 275 million cubic feet per day in the mid-1970s.&#8221;* Nonstop war since has prevented further exploitation. [Asia Times, 10/5/2001] *A later article suggests that the country may also have as much copper as Chile, the world&#8217;s largest producer, and significant deposits of coal, emeralds, tungsten, lead, zinc, uranium ore, and more. Estimates of Afghanistan&#8217;s natural wealth may even be understated, because surveys were conducted decades ago, using less-advanced methods and covering limited territory. *[Houston Chronicle, 12/23/2001]



I knew it long ago, but Balochistan is very rich in natural resources too. Alas we do not have the greens to explore, extract and refine. But things come with time.

Has anyone seen *Avatar*.


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## Hyde

I can remember the slogans before WoT started in Afghanistan where it was written Americans are invaging war for not protecting their citizens but for the trillion dollars minerals

Lo gi - its no longer a secret now 

Oil in Iraq
Minerals in Afghanistan


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## Areesh

Kinetic said:


> Uncle will not let that happen.  While NATO forces are their and India's effort it will be impossible for countries like China to get any benefit from Afghanistan. Mainly NATO countries followed by Russia and India will benefit from it. Forget China.



Nice dreams buddy. The survival of both NATO and India is at stake in Afghnistan and you are making plans to reap benefits from these resources. Things aren't that easy for India dear in Afghanistan.


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## Fighter488

As far as I remember this is quite an old fact. I learned in some news paper right at the time of 2001 or 2002 about the vast mineral riches and in fact there was a special mention of some mineral that would have been very useful, efficient and cost effective fuel for rockets and missiles. This is no new discovery by Uncle SAM. Half of the world knew it before this REVELATION.

This is may be another BAIT from PANTAGON, for unwilling NATO's European allies to "dig in foot" and share the mineral's pie. Such stories are fixed in the media for saving the dying coalition in Afghanistan. These stories would not yeild much to NATO. History of Afghan people is a proof to that. NATO has to leave Afghanistan and these 'fixes' would not stand a chance. 

Only Afghan people and thier government would decide how to cut this cake and share with whom, whenever this has to happen.

Fighter

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## Comet

Of course there are minerals in Afghanistan. Just like opium .


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

Ahmad said:


> but why did you have to post this news here? please make another thread for this.



It was not well said, but I am wondering if you all think Afghanistan would be better off occupied by the USA or run by the Taliban since that seems to be the only two choices at this point. I expect if Afghanistan goes to the Taliban so will Pakistan sooner or later. Both countries seem to be between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.


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## Ahmad

umairp said:


> Of course there are minerals in Afghanistan. Just like opium .



dont be sarcastic if you cant make a proper contribution.


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## Ahmad

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> It was not well said, but I am wondering if you all think Afghanistan would be better off occupied by the USA or run by the Taliban since that seems to be the only two choices at this point. I expect if Afghanistan goes to the Taliban so will Pakistan sooner or later. Both countries seem to be between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.



Pakistan has already seen the effects of taliban power within thier own territory. They certainly dont want the taliban in their soil, hope they have now changed their mind about afghanistna as well. taliban retrun would be many generations setback in afghanistan.

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## Nahraf

This is another excuse for US and the West not to give any more money to war torn Afghanistan where over 1 million people have died since the invasion. Iraq has oil so use their money to give contracts to American companies to rebuild the country. Now Afghanistan has minerals so American companies will get contracts to extract them and rebuild the country. The Iraqis and Afghans will remain in menial jobs getting peanuts while the Americans get $200 an hour minimum salary in these two countries now.


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

Nahraf said:


> This is another excuse for US and the West not to give any more money to war torn Afghanistan where over 1 million people have died since the invasion. Iraq has oil so use their money to give contracts to American companies to rebuild the country. Now Afghanistan has minerals so American companies will get contracts to extract them and rebuild the country. The Iraqis and Afghans will remain in menial jobs getting peanuts while the Americans get $200 an hour minimum salary in these two countries now.



I am curious where you get your 1 million figure from and the 200 dollar an hour salary. I doubt if you are going to find many people from the USA in Afghanistan with a pick and shovel the engineers going there will be paid the going rates for engineers plus hazard pay I would expect and prob will be international corporations, the mineral are not going to do Afghanistan much good in the ground.


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## manojb

Will china Take the bait? I guess yes!!


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

Ahmad said:


> dont be sarcastic if you cant make a proper contribution.



I was not aware I was being sarcastic, I am just curious do you prefer the Taliban or the American Occupation. Which would you prefer in Pakistan if you had to make a choice. Would you prefer International Aid to see the resources are developed in Afganistan if that is necessary for them to be developed or just remain in the ground.


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## Comet

Ahmad said:


> dont be sarcastic if you cant make a proper contribution.



Dear!
I meant there are too much minerals just like too much opium.


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## SekrutYakhni

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has officially announced today that Afghanistan has around $1 trillion worth of minerals. They also said that a team of geologists working for Pentagon have discovered different maps which will help 're finding' of those minerals. Furthermore, they also stated that it is not the first time that the study was done; Soviet Union also tried to do but they did not have enough time.

*Now, I have a question for you guys.

Why did the U.S. spent tens or possibly hundreds of billions of dollars in the first place (Afghan war)? Did not they know about the minerals when they knew that Soviets explored as well?
*



'The Saudi Arabia of lithium,' report says
Last Updated: Monday, June 14, 2010 | 10:12 AM ET Comments177Recommend73
CBC News
The war-torn country of Afghanistan sits atop nearly $1 trillion US in valuable minerals, senior American military officials said Monday.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country's mineral resources could be worth as much as $3 trillion. (Musadeq Sadeq/Associated Press)
According to a report in the New York Times on Monday, aerial surveys of the region as far back as 2006 have suggested the presence of multiple valuable minerals including iron, copper, cobalt and gold.

After initial aerial scans were ignored for several years, a Pentagon task force and private-sector U.S. mining experts have only recently confirmed the finds, the report said.

Metals with much more contemporary uses such as niobium and lithium have also been discovered. An internal military memo refers to Afghanistan as "the Saudi Arabia of lithium," the report said.

Lithium is a key metal used in next-generation batteries for mobile electronic devices.

After the discovery, U.S. geologists briefed American military officials, who have informed the Afghan government including President Hamid Karzai.

The news is being hailed for suggesting the potential to transform Afghanistan into one of the most important mining centres in the world.

U.S. estimates are closer to $1 trillion US, but at a May 13 event in the United States, Karzai called his country's untapped mineral deposits a "massive opportunity" that could be worth as much as $3 trillion. That would dwarf Afghanistan's domestic economy, currently worth some $12 billion US a year.

The deposits are still believed to be years away from commercial viability, but new investment could help develop the country and drag it from poverty.

However, there are also concerns the potential commercial bonanza could encourage the Taliban to dig in even further in their attempt to regain control of the country.

CBC News - Money - Afghan mineral wealth $1 trillion: report


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

saad445566 said:


> Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has officially announced today that Afghanistan has around $1 trillion worth of minerals. They have also said that a team of geologist working for Pentagon were surprised to know that. Furthermore, that also stated that it is not the first time that the study was done. Soviet Union also tried to do but they did not have enough time.
> 
> *Now, I have a question for you guys.
> 
> Why did the U.S. spent tens or possibly hundreds of billions of dollars in the first place (Afghan war)? Did not they know about the minerals when they knew that Soviets explored as well?
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 'The Saudi Arabia of lithium,' report says
> Last Updated: Monday, June 14, 2010 | 10:12 AM ET Comments177Recommend73
> CBC News
> The war-torn country of Afghanistan sits atop nearly $1 trillion US in valuable minerals, senior American military officials said Monday.
> 
> Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country's mineral resources could be worth as much as $3 trillion. (Musadeq Sadeq/Associated Press)
> According to a report in the New York Times on Monday, aerial surveys of the region as far back as 2006 have suggested the presence of multiple valuable minerals including iron, copper, cobalt and gold.
> 
> After initial aerial scans were ignored for several years, a Pentagon task force and private-sector U.S. mining experts have only recently confirmed the finds, the report said.
> 
> Metals with much more contemporary uses such as niobium and lithium have also been discovered. An internal military memo refers to Afghanistan as "the Saudi Arabia of lithium," the report said.
> 
> Lithium is a key metal used in next-generation batteries for mobile electronic devices.
> 
> After the discovery, U.S. geologists briefed American military officials, who have informed the Afghan government including President Hamid Karzai.
> 
> The news is being hailed for suggesting the potential to transform Afghanistan into one of the most important mining centres in the world.
> 
> U.S. estimates are closer to $1 trillion US, but at a May 13 event in the United States, Karzai called his country's untapped mineral deposits a "massive opportunity" that could be worth as much as $3 trillion. That would dwarf Afghanistan's domestic economy, currently worth some $12 billion US a year.
> 
> The deposits are still believed to be years away from commercial viability, but new investment could help develop the country and drag it from poverty.
> 
> However, there are also concerns the potential commercial bonanza could encourage the Taliban to dig in even further in their attempt to regain control of the country.
> 
> CBC News - Money - Afghan mineral wealth $1 trillion: report



I am curious, do you actually believe the USA invaded Afghan for its minerals, wouldnt it have made more sense to invade Saudia Arabia for its oil, since the majority of the 911 Hijackers were from Saudia Arabia we would had the perfect excuse.


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## SekrutYakhni

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> I am curious, do you actually believe the USA invaded Afghan for its minerals, wouldnt it have made more sense to invade Saudia Arabia for its oil, since the majority of the 911 Hijackers were from Saudia Arabia we would had the perfect excuse.



I never said anything nor I have enough facts to back my opinion. I just asked a question...

Why did the U.S. spend billions other than countering insurgency? 
Now, the U.S. seems to have a soft corner for Taliban and *maybe* there are some talks between the parties in future. The war is never fought for a fixed goal and it is completely absurd to say that the U.S. a good guy went ONLY to counter insurgency.

The reason to fight has many dimensions..


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

saad445566 said:


> I never said anything nor I have enough facts to back my opinion. I just asked a question...
> 
> Why did the U.S. spend billions other than countering insurgency?
> Now, the U.S. seems to have a soft corner for Taliban and *maybe* there are some talks between the parties in future. The war is never fought for a fixed goal and it is completely absurd to say that the U.S. a good guy went ONLY to counter insurgency.
> 
> The reason to fight has many dimensions..



I kind of expect 911 had something to do with it.


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## SekrutYakhni

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> I kind of expect 911 had something to do with it.



I fear that the U.S. will do same thing which Leopold II of Belgium did. He also went to civilize the people of Congo but rubber was the main reason.

"Children's hands were hacked off if they did not deliver the amount of rubber demanded by King Leopold II.The hands were then smoked and transported to Belgian contractors, who counted the number of severed limbs.The amount of severed hands were as high as a metric ton per day."

Barbarians!

Over the course of history, every invader was a barbarian and brutal....Mughals, British Empire, Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, the U.S. etc
^^recent examples..


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## SekrutYakhni

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> I am curious, do you actually believe the USA invaded Afghan for its minerals, wouldnt it have made more sense to invade Saudia Arabia for its oil, since the majority of the 911 Hijackers were from Saudia Arabia we would had the perfect excuse.




The U.S. had no reason to invade KSA because their royal family is the slave of their owners. Talibans were resisting in Afghanistan; this made perfect sense for the U.S. to attack Afghanistan.

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## Thomas

This could benefit Pakistan a lot since it has the shipping ports for not only shipping any minerals out. But bringing in equipment and construction materials to develop the mines. That's a lot of money and jobs for Pakistan. 

And those that support the so called good Taliban simply becuase of Pakistan's Geo-political interests. Need to realize that Pakistan's interests are better served with a stable Afghanistan that provides a stable source of money and jobs for Pakistan.

It would also make Afghanistan much more dependent on Pakistan becuase of the transportation infrastructure and ports. Thereby negating any perceived Indian influence.


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## SekrutYakhni

*


Thomas said:



This could benefit Pakistan a lot since it has the shipping ports for not only shipping any minerals out. But bringing in equipment and construction materials to develop the mines. That's a lot of money and jobs for Pakistan.

Click to expand...

*


Thomas said:


> And those that support the so called good Taliban simply becuase of Pakistan's Geo-political interests. Need to realize that Pakistan's interests are better served with a stable Afghanistan that provides a stable source of money and jobs for Pakistan.
> 
> It would also make Afghanistan much more dependent on Pakistan becuase of the transportation infrastructure and ports. Thereby negating any perceived Indian influence.




Valid point Thomas. India is far away and there are sanctions on Iran. Hence, Pakistanis can cash this situation by strong diplomacy and attractive deals.


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## SpArK

http://www.defence.pk/forums/u-s-foreign-affairs/61513-nato-opens-northern-supply-route-afghanistan-via-russia-central-asia.html

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## Spring Onion

At this point i am not much interested which country and how other than the real owner that is Afghanistan , can cash it.

I am more interested in the location of these minerals and how can these be used for the welbeing of people of Afghanistan.

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## Ahmad

umairp said:


> Dear!
> I meant there are too much minerals just like too much opium.



Opium is common in tribal areas of pakisan too. dont go off topic please.


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## Ahmad

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> I was not aware I was being sarcastic, I am just curious do you prefer the Taliban or the American Occupation. Which would you prefer in Pakistan if you had to make a choice. Would you prefer International Aid to see the resources are developed in Afganistan if that is necessary for them to be developed or just remain in the ground.



Come on man, that post was not to you.


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## H2O3C4Nitrogen

Apart from that it has drug buisness potential..and with Karzai placed in kabul it will reach new hights..


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## Ahmad

Thomas said:


> This could benefit Pakistan a lot since it has the shipping ports for not only shipping any minerals out. But bringing in equipment and construction materials to develop the mines. That's a lot of money and jobs for Pakistan.
> 
> And those that support the *so called good Taliban* simply becuase of Pakistan's Geo-political interests. Need to realize that Pakistan's interests are better served with a stable Afghanistan that provides a stable source of money and jobs for Pakistan.
> 
> It would also make *Afghanistan much more dependent on Pakistan *becuase of the transportation infrastructure and ports. Thereby negating any perceived Indian influence.



I believe the newly built Delaram road(by the indians) and a railway line(built by the iranians and they want to extend it to central asia) which is connecting afghanistan to iran might cut dependency on pakistan, at least afghan gov hopes so.


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## Gin ka Pakistan

Pakistan has to be united and protect Baluchistan on all cost. 

US will never Use Iranian route build by India and Indian second option will be Independent Baluchistan. 

United Pakistan is the best route available for US but India will never like it as then India has to be good to Pakistan (give water). 

Pakistan should assure USA China Russia and Israel that all will be allowed to use route from Pakistan to Afghanistan and stable Pakistan is the key to access that wealth.

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## MastanKhan

Gentlemen and ladies,

WE are all in for a big surprise. And the surprise is that the u s may not leave afghanistan for ever. The reason being---it will be disclosed that there are possibly trillions of dollars worth of minerals found in afganistan---something beyond the wildest dreams of afghans and its neighbours. China, russia, iran----get ready for the new u s colony.

Pakistan---seems like your fortunes will continue to be linked with those of the americans. The is going to be some serious power posturing between india and pakistan---the u s, china and russia.


It takes 8 years, a millon lies, many sec defs, many a generals, regime changes and hundreds of thousand of deaths in afg and pakistan---what a treachery---how much of a deceit, what a setup. The question that needs to be asked and when did the u s know about all these deposits. Afghanistan being rich in minerals is not a news, it has been known for many a years about its large mineral reserves.

So that is what it was all about 8 years ago. For I have always wondered at the lackadaisical approach of american millitary in the earlier years of the war on terror. Not taking on the al qaeda head on, letting Mullah Omar escape from kandhar, letting northern alliance take charge of assaulting the taliban, letting OBL escape---so this was all basically a setup to get its foothold in afghanistan.

The U S looking at china buying land concessions like there is no tomorrow, oil and gas reserves, minerals and material exploration rights anywhere and everywhere in the world at a record pace, without prejudice and conscience. A soft, gentle, kinder and generous approach towards all kinds of regimes invovled---dictators---pariahs---democrtas if any---china got them all rounded up in a conference room---signed them up on the dotted line and the u s was left behind due to their own self imposed sanctions of not dealing with some countries.

So, when the oppurtunity knocked on the door for the u s, they took the unconventional route---unconventional for many but not for the americans, the russians the british.

If you just look back at the tv videos of the milltary tactics enforced, the interviews of the generals, the strategy involved, the interviews of the analysts---there was always something missing. There was a feeling of emptiness in the proceeding, there was a feeling of vaccuum----there was a feeling as if something has been left out intentionally.

The speeches looked as if they were empty of soul---the talk was there to take the revenge against al qaeda---but the actions lacked the conviction of someone who was bent upon seeking to annihilate the enemy.

Bottomline is that the u s of a needed control of rare minerals---an oppurtunity came in its way---OBL was right in a way when he said that u s will do nothing---well they would have done nothing---if the al qaeda and the taliban had not been sitting on the largest gold nugget in the history of mankind.

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## Gin ka Pakistan

Ahmad said:


> I believe the newly built Delaram road(by the indians) and a railway line(built by the iranians and they want to extend it to central asia) which is connecting afghanistan to iran might cut dependency on pakistan, at least afghan gov hopes so.



If India has to Chose between Iran and US , you will be disappointed in same way they let Iran down in Gas Pipe line to India. 
US will never let present Iran to have share in its kill and India knows that.


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## SpArK

Its a big big drama, even they have opened a road through Russia last week. 

Nato route opens through Russia - CENTRAL/S. ASIA - Al Jazeera English


*These Americans are here in the region to loot the resources like the old colonialists.*

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## Gin ka Pakistan

BENNY said:


> Its a big big drama, even they have opened a road through Russia last week.
> 
> Nato route opens through Russia - CENTRAL/S. ASIA - Al Jazeera English
> 
> 
> *These Americans are here in the region to loot the resources like the old colonialists.*



US knows that they have to share their Kill will some other parties too like Russia .


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## T-pain

i think after 15-20 yrs whole world will have to purchase oil frm u.s or by u.s permission.so they gave india nuclear deal.


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## SpArK

*Analysis: Afghan mine sector sparkles but problems abound*


Analysis: Afghan mine sector sparkles but problems abound | Reuters

(Reuters) - Afghanistan has rich mineral deposits, from iron ore and copper to precious stones, but their potential is stifled by war, bad infrastructure and deep investor caution.

Experts say revenues could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars -- a statistic U.S. officials are honing in on given the cost of the nine-year war and Afghanistan's paltry economy -- but such a bounty is years, even decades away.

*"Rather than being a wasteland, Afghanistan is a motherlode of mineral resources. The challenge is how to extract it and make sure it benefits all Afghans," said James Bever, director of the task force for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the U.S. Agency for International Development.*

*"Seven or eight or 10 years from now we may look back and say this was the big thing," said Bever.*

Mining analysts say while Afghanistan's mineral potential is enticing, the risks are too big for most companies who worry their investments will be attacked by the Taliban or affected by the Afghan government's reputation for corruption.

"An established company would not want to go to its shareholders and say we want to invest in it," said Anthony Young of Dahlman Rose & Co, an investment bank in New York.

A giant copper contract was handed out in 2007 to a Chinese consortium for a deposit in the Aynak region south of Kabul.

The Afghan mining ministry is doing an international roadshow later this month to revive an iron ore tender scrapped in February, partly due to lack of interest and market instability at that time.

*Chinese and Russian companies are expected to be among bidders for the iron ore tender for the Hajigak deposit west of Kabul, but many North American mining houses are likely to stay away and point to problems with the first copper contract.*

CAUTIOUS

The Canadian mining company Hunter Dickinson lost a bid for the copper deposit to China's top producer, Jiangxi Copper Co, and China Metallurgical Group Corp.

"Given the escalation of violence in the country, it turned out alright for us," said Robert Schafer, executive vice president of business at the Canadian firm.

*Schafer said it would take a long time before the industry showed profits, pointing out that from the moment a discovery was made it usually took seven to 10 years before it could be seen as profitable and could take as long as two decades.
*
Other mining firms are also cautious, citing basic infrastructure issues, power and other problems.

*"From our standpoint, power plants had to be built and there were lots of other things. Their expectations were a lot higher than the reality," said one mining industry source whose company looked into the copper bid. He declined to be named.
*
The World Bank has been working to improve Afghanistan's nascent mining sector and points to many gaps in the "value chain", including transforming the mines ministry.

"It has to be changed from a Soviet-style operating body to a regulatory apparatus or ministry as we would have in most countries," said Gary McMahon, a senior mining specialist at the World Bank.

"You are not going to see the majors (big mining firms) going into Afghanistan ... but there are mining companies which will say it is worth the risk," said McMahon, who was in Kabul last week to see Afghan officials.

*There are also concerns over the mining law and whether the finder of a deposit has the right to exploit it.
*
"The government has the intent to make 'the right to mine' more in line with international practice," McMahon said.

MAPPING OUT RICHES

The Pentagon believes Afghanistan's untapped mineral deposits may be worth more than $1 trillion and could help the country's economy and help U.S. efforts to bolster its war-battered government, a Pentagon spokesman said on Monday.

"It's certainly potentially good news, especially for Afghanistan," said Pentagon spokesman Colonel David Lapan.

*Including the two well-known, world-class deposits of copper and iron ore, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has pinpointed 24 areas across Afghanistan which it says show most mineral potential, including magnesium, chromium, gold, nickel, mercury and lithium and other rare minerals used for mobile phones and other technology.*

"Unfortunately it (rare minerals) is right in the middle of what the military call the kinetic (war) zone," said USGS expert Jack Medlin.

*Air surveys have also shown oil and gas deposits which earlier Soviet studies highlighted*. However, one in the Helmand basin that was expected to yield great potential may not be all it was cracked up to be, Medlin said.

There have also been enormous problems gathering accurate soil and rock samples because of the war and much data has not been verified, particularly in the Helmand area, he added.


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## MastanKhan

Gin ka Pakistan said:


> If India has to Chose between Iran and US , you will be disappointed in same way they let Iran down in Gas Pipe line to India.
> US will never let present Iran to have share in its kill and India knows that.



Hi,

That is not all---india is letting go of iran---it will support the sanction fulltime. Today's news.

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## ramu

Everyone wants a piece of the action and can't blame any country as each country thinks of its goals ...

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## Gin ka Pakistan

When lioness kills , Its the loin which eat first then lioness and cubs. While Tiger wait to have left over then jackals and fox. In the end vulchers and then small ants.

Every on gets their share from the kill.


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## Nima

Would it be smart to buy land in AFG b/c of this? Wouldn't land prices sky rocket in the future?


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## ARSENAL6

MastanKhan said:


> Gentlemen and ladies,
> 
> WE are all in for a big surprise. And the surprise is that the u s may not leave afghanistan for ever.
> 
> Reason being---it will be disclosed that there are possibly trillions of dollars worth of minerals found in afganistan---something beyond the wildest dreams of afghans and its neighbours.
> 
> China, russia, iran----get ready for the new u s colony.
> 
> Pakistan---seems like your fortunes are again linked with those of the americans.
> 
> The is going to be some serious power posturing between india and pakistan.
> 
> So posters when you find that news---post it here.



9/11 was inside job afterall sigh.


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## dbc

MastanKhan said:


> Gentlemen and ladies,
> 
> Bottomline is that the u s of a needed control of rare minerals---an oppurtunity came in its way---OBL was right in a way when he said that u s will do nothing---well they would have done nothing---if the al qaeda and the taliban had not been sitting on the largest gold nugget in the history of mankind.



...yes our ships sets sail for the "largest gold nugget" known to man carrying a cargo of salves to help us exploit exotic riches. We paid for allegiance of Warlords and Kings, killed those that opposed us hexed those that could not be killed....

Sometimes I get carried away with MastanKhan's imagination, lets curb our predisposition to fantasy and acknowledge that we're now in the 21st century. And in this century of "civilized nations" where "civilized humans" live in civilized transparent societies, is it really possible for the US government to perpetuate the fraud of the century as you suggest?

The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) has been engaged in Afghanistan since the early 50's. 



> *The majority of information on Afghanistan's mineral resources was produced between the early 1950s and about 1985.* However, during the intermittent conflict over the next two decades, much of that data was hidden and protected by Afghan scientists. After 2001, this valuable data was returned to the Afghan government, and the USGS gathered new data and identified additional information in locations outside of Afghanistan.


 
The USGS along with Geological institutes from several nations were commissioned by the World Bank in 2004 to develop the mining infrastructure, formulate new laws and build a portfolio to attract foreign investments in the mining sector. 

*So your claim of secret riches being exploited on the pretext of war on terror ..is ..is.. ridiculous to say the very least. * 

USGS Projects in Afghanistan

..the only problem keeping Afghan natural resource from the market since the 1950's is investors. We are working with several nations and the World Bank to make it happen for the future of the people of Afghanistan.

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## Gin ka Pakistan

Death.By.Chocolate said:


> ...yes our ships sets sail for the "largest gold nugget" known to man carrying a cargo of salves to help us exploit exotic riches. We paid for allegiance of Warlords and Kings, killed those that opposed us hexed those that could not be killed....
> 
> Sometimes I get carried away with MastanKhan's imagination, lets curb our predisposition to fantasy and acknowledge that we're now in the 21st century. And in this century of "civilized nations" where "civilized humans" live in civilized transparent societies, is it really possible for the US government to perpetuate the fraud of the century as you suggest?
> 
> The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) has been engaged in Afghanistan since the early 50's.
> 
> 
> 
> The USGS along with Geological institutes from several nations were commissioned by the World Bank in 2004 to develop the mining infrastructure, formulate new laws and build a portfolio to attract foreign investments in the mining sector.
> 
> *So your claim of secret riches being exploited on the pretext of war of terror ..is ..is.. ridiculous to say the very least. *
> 
> USGS Projects in Afghanistan
> 
> ..the only problem keeping Afghan natural resource from the market since the 1950's is investors. We are working with several nations and the World Bank to make it happen for the future of the people of Afghanistan.



Yes US has no interest in Afghan except for welfare of Afghan people and all the tenders be given through fair means and Afghan government will be free to chose any Chinese or Russians company to come and mine there on the principal of open market.
*
But Wait*
Even when Iraq is in US control we still have bases in Saudi Arab and Kuwait not for Oil but to protect it people from Saddam (even when he is dead). 

*We are what Hollywood project us. *

Give me a break, Death.By.Chocolate its a capitalist world and gold diggers are still active and will go were the gold is.


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## dbc

Gin ka Pakistan said:


> Yes US has no interest in Afghan except for welfare of Afghan people and all the tenders be given through fair means and Afghan government will be free to chose any Chinese or Russians company to come and mine there on the principal of open market.
> *
> But Wait*
> Even when Iraq is in US control we still have bases in Saudi Arab and Kuwait not for Oil but to protect it people from Saddam (even when he is dead).
> 
> *We are what Hollywood project us. *
> 
> Give me a break, Death.By.Chocolate its a capitalist world and gold diggers are still active and will go were the gold is.



..get over your cynicism the Chinese have been awarded several exploration blocks. Last I checked they are extracting copper from Aynak copper reserves...

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## SekrutYakhni

We have touched such low grounds now..

*Minerals out of the blood of Afghanis. *

&#8220;We have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side; one which we preach but do not practice, and another which we practice but seldom preach.&#8221;
Bertrand Russell 

&#8220;The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.&#8221;
Martin Luther King, Jr.


I hope that profit is shared among Afghanis but I am afraid that Afghanistan will become another oil enriched Nigeria. And should I share the conditions of Nigerians? Cheers to the invaders and best of luck to the countries who will benefit from the minerals but *Mercy upon the people who died and the ones who are suffering.*

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## SekrutYakhni

2012-doomds day should come soon. It is inevitable considering the attitude of human beings towards mother nature, other species and humans themselves. I think that we have landed on the doorsteps of hell. 

_I bet that trillion dollar reserves will not have a significant impact on Afghanis. _

I have been saying this again and again since fourteen months that Balochistan and Afghanistan are mineral enriched areas. But why do we blame India for destabilizing Balochistan when our own Pakistani government failed to provide basic facilities to Balochis over and over again--


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## Ahchai Eliminator

*Value of Afghanistans mineral discovery needs to be dealt with cautiously* June 14, 2010
David Robertson, Business Correspondent 

The good news from the men at the Pentagon is that beneath the landmines Afghanistan is sitting on a goldmine.

Exactly when they took their degrees in geology is unclear but officials have estimated that Afghanistans mineral resources could be worth $1 trillion.

*This suspiciously round number appears to be based on geological surveys made decades ago as well as recent on-the-ground research*.

How thorough that could have been is open to debate, given that it takes the worlds best miners about a decade to explore a new area.

*Factor in Afghanistans size, and the Pentagon must have had an army of geologists working in the country since immediately after 9/11 to have accurately studied its terrain.*

*The $1 trillion figure is, therefore, highly misleading. It is a theoretical number and may have little relation to the value of resources that could actually be exploited.
*
*After all, you can dig up any garden in the UK and find copper, iron and all manner of other metals and minerals. The North Sea alone contains an estimated $207 billion of gold.*

*The difference between a British garden and the vast mines of Australia and South Africa is that minerals and metals are found there in quantities and concentrations that make it economical to extract.*

*It will be of little benefit to Afghanistan if its $1 trillion of mineral resources would cost $2 trillion to dig up.*

*The Americans have also made an error in publicising this guesstimate of Afghanistans mineral wealth because it will raise expectations and thereby inflate future facilitation payments.*

*It is an unwritten rule among mining companies that you never get too specific about the potential value of deposits in developing countries as it only serves to inflate the bribes that are requested.*

*Afghanistans former Minister of Mines has already been accused by the Americans of receiving a $30 million bribe to allocate mining licences.*

*Even if there were $1 trillion of mineral resources in Afghanistan, and even if those resources were economically viable, it would be years before a large Western miner considered going anywhere near the country.*

*BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Anglo American  the worlds largest miners  have no intention of moving into Afghanistan because the risk is far greater than the reward.*

*It would cost $5 billion or more to develop a large copper, iron ore or gold mine in Afghanistan and potentially a further $5 billion to build the necessary infrastructure (roads, railways, etc).*
*
No company will risk that sort of money in a country where the Government does not control all the territory and contract law is far from solid.*

*The only people to have shown an interest in Afghanistans mines so far are the Chinese because, unlike a private company, they can tie agreements to foreign aid, loans and arms deals  things that Kabul will not want to renege on.*

*It is possible that Chinas grab for Afghan resources has prompted the Pentagons attempt to generate some interest from the rest of the world in the countrys resources.*

*The Americans might not like the idea of someone else benefiting from its military commitment to Afghanistan but Chinese mines might still be preferable to poppy fields.*

Value of Afghanistan&rsquo;s mineral discovery needs to be dealt with cautiously - Times Online


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## Luftwaffe

And after 8 Years of failure us finds minerals or guesses about it when its time they slowly exit, another strategy to leave mess behind after their exit. I leave it to members to think and answer.


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## SekrutYakhni

luftwaffe said:


> And after 8 Years of failure us finds minerals or guesses about it when its time they slowly exit, another strategy to leave mess behind after their exit. I leave it to members to think and answer.



I have been saying this again and again; practically, over fourteen months now. I can smell the boots coming to Pakistan from Afghanistan. I might be wrong but it's good to share your feelings.


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## Fighter488

*AFGHANISTAN A $1TN MINERAL STASH ​*


_American Geologists Discover Vast Natural Resources Including What May Make The Country Saudi Arabia Of Lithium _


*James Risen* 



*Washington*: The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials. 

The previously unknown deposits  including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium  are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the US officials believe. 





An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the Saudi Arabia of lithium, a key raw material for manufacturing batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys. The vast scale of Afghanistans mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, officials said. 

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war. 

There is stunning potential here, Gen David Petraeus, commander of the US Central Command, said. There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant. 

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistans existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking. Afghanistans gross domestic product is only about $12 billion. This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy, said Jalil Jumriany, an adviser to the Afghan minister of mines. 

American and Afghan officials agreed to discuss the mineral discoveries at a difficult moment in the war in Afghanistan. The Americanled offensive in Marja in southern Afghanistan has achieved only limited gains. Meanwhile, charges of corruption and favoritism continue to plague the Karzai government, and Mr. Karzai seems increasingly embittered toward the White House. 

So the Obama administration is hungry for some positive news to come out of Afghanistan. Yet the American officials also recognize that the mineral discoveries will almost certainly have a double-edged impact. 

* Instead of bringing peace, the newfound mineral wealth could lead the Taliban to battle even more fiercely to regain control of the country. *

The corruption that is already rampant in the Karzai government could also be amplified by the new wealth, particularly if a handful of wellconnected oligarchs, some with ties to the president, gain control of the resources. Endless fights could erupt between the central government in Kabul and provincial and tribal leaders in mineral-rich districts. 

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistans mineral wealth, which could upset the US, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more. 

_ The Pentagon task force has already started trying to help the Afghans set up a system to deal with mineral development. International accounting firms that have expertise in mining contracts have been hired to consult with the Afghan ministry of mines, and technical data is being prepared to turn over to multinational mining companies and other potential foreign investors._

(Thieves are already on the troll. )

*In 2004, American geologists, sent to Afghanistan as part of a broader reconstruction effort, stumbled across a series of old charts and data at the library of the Afghan Geological Survey in Kabul that hinted at major mineral deposits in the country. The data had been collected by Soviet experts during the occupation of Afghanistan, but cast aside when they withdrew in 1989. 

Armed with the old charts, the US Geological Survey began a series of aerial surveys of Afghanistans mineral resources in 2006 over about 70% of the country. The data from those flights was so promising that in 2007, they returned for an even more sophisticated study that offered a three-dimensional profile of mineral deposits. It was the most comprehensive geologic survey of Afghanistan ever conducted. *

Pentagon officials said their initial analysis at *one location in Ghazni province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia*, which now has the worlds largest known lithium reserves. For the geologists who are scouring some of the most remote stretches of Afghanistan, there is a growing sense that they are in the midst of one of the great discoveries of their careers. 

NYT NEWS SERVICE 

ToI feed dated 15-June-2010


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## fatman17

looks like they just won the lottery!!!

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## Ahchai Eliminator

May be its some kind of baits throw out from US to attract more help from countries thats wish to get a share of the so-called lemon pie.


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## sur




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## gambit

First it was 'the US invaded Iraq for oil'. That did not panned out so well, did it? As if it was not enough that people ended up with eggs on their faces, now the same people who just finished cleaning themselves up strains the imagination worthy of Hollywood hacks to come up with various conspiratorial schemes for US in Afghanistan. And you guys wonder why the ME is so laughable.


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## SMI

agreed with aboves......looks like we are living against odds


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## SMI

thnx for sharing


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## Ahmad

Gin ka Pakistan said:


> If India has to Chose between Iran and US , you will be disappointed in same way they let Iran down in Gas Pipe line to India.
> US will never let present Iran to have share in its kill and India knows that.



India can choose whichever they want, but as we have seen the indians are much clever, they work with many rival parties at the same time without losing none of them. but anyways, that was not my point, the point is that there are now alternative routes which are already being used and it has its effects i think. lets not to mix up supplies to the NATO with other commertial issues, nato will surely not use iran for supplies. as per the kill you mentioned, there will be agreement between the governments over the resources, it can be americans or any other country, we have the mineral and they have the skills/money/machinary, it is good to derive them out the earth and share it, otherwise for we people those minerals will be nothing but stone as we cant take them out.

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## Ahmad

Nima said:


> Would it be smart to buy land in AFG b/c of this? Wouldn't land prices sky rocket in the future?



i dont think so, affordability for the people is so low and it wont see any huge jump. but in kabul city house prices is already high.


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## T-pain

Ahmad said:


> India can choose whichever they want, but as we have seen the indians are much clever, they work with many rival parties at the same time without losing none of them. but anyways, that was not my point, the point is that there are now alternative routes which are already being used and it has its effects i think. lets not to mix up supplies to the NATO with other commertial issues, nato will surely not use iran for supplies. as per the kill you mentioned, there will be agreement between the governments over the resources, it can be americans or any other country, we have the mineral and they have the skills/money/machinary, it is good to derive them out the earth and share it, otherwise for we people those minerals will be nothing but stone as we cant take them out.



i think iran has voted against india every time,now it's india's turn.so nothing different


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## rohailmalhi

Ahmad said:


> There will be agreement between the governments over the resources, it can be americans or any other country, we have the mineral and they have the skills/money/machinary, it is good to derive them out the earth and share it, otherwise for we people those minerals will be nothing but stone as we cant take them out.



But i think better option will be get your locals train in the this mining field . first it will creat jobs for local and then take loan from World bank and put machinary to extract it urself dont give ur resources to anyone .Itss ur sole property and its benfit should only be to Afghnistan no one else.


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## Marxist

*Afghanistan: rich in deposits, engulfed in danger *

Afghanistan may be sitting on an estimated $1-trillion (U.S.) in untapped mineral deposits, but Canadian miners seem happy to let others take the lead in developing the discoveries.

Not only is Afghanistan one of the worlds most war-ravaged countries, but there is also the issue of how to transport commodities out of the landlocked country.

The risk is too high, regardless of the quality of the ore bodies, said Paul Blythe, chief executive officer of copper producer Quadra FNX Mining Ltd. of Vancouver.

The mineral discoveries were made by a small team of Pentagon officials and U.S. geologists as part of a move by Washington to help Afghanistan develop its economy.

According to the Pentagon, iron accounts for almost half of the countrys estimated mineral value, or $420-billion (U.S.). Copper comes second, with about $273-billion.

A New York Times article on the discovery quotes an internal Pentagon memo stating Afghanistan could become the Saudi Arabia of lithium, a material used in everything from batteries to BlackBerrys.

Veteran mining financier Robert Friedland, who has developed mining projects in such challenging locations as Mongolia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is unconvinced about the potential for mining in Afghanistan.

Hopeless, Mr. Friedland said in an e-mail to The Globe and Mail .

Lithium is common as chips. The trillion dollar number is meaningless. ... Absurd, he added.

Patrick Highsmith, CEO of Lithium One Inc. in Vancouver, believes there may be potential in Afghanistan, depending on the lithiums purity.

That said, he isnt ready to begin exploring in the country either. We are happy to be working in safe places with great access, such as Argentina and Quebec, Mr. Highsmith said.

China, an aggressive buyer of resource projects in politically challenging countries, is undoubtedly the front-runner to benefit most from the development of Afghanistans mineral riches. The Asian economic superpower is already the largest foreign investor in Afghan resources. 



In 2008, state-owned conglomerate China Metallurgical Group Corp. won a crowded auction for the right to develop the Aynak copper deposit in Afghanistan, believed to be one of the largest untapped copper projects in the world.

China Metallurgical bid $3.4-billion for the right to mine the deposit, $1-billion more than any of its competitors, which included privately held Hunter Dickinson Inc. of Vancouver as well as mining firms from the United States and India. Construction of the mine, set to begin production in 2012, is said to have been delayed as a result of the war in Afghanistan.

We feel like we were fortunate to come in second, said Robert Schafer, Hunter Dickinsons executive vice-president of business development.

He said the company might consider trying again in Afghanistan, but isnt yet convinced theres more to explore beyond Aynak.

Its just indications. Theres not anything you can hang your hat on and say We can turn this into a mine,&#61486; he said.

Allegations of corruption have since surfaced involving the Chinese bid for Aynak. Last year, Afghanistans minister of mines, Muhammad Ibrahim Adel, was accused by U.S. officials of accepting a $30-million bribe to award the project to the Chinese bidders. He has since resigned from his post.

Rather than try and buy major projects in well-established mining jurisdictions such as North America and Australia where they could be rejected by the government, China has decided to invest in resources where many others fear to go. China Metallurgical, for example, also operates a copper mine in Sandaik, Pakistan.

With a file from Associated Press 

Afghanistan: rich in deposits, engulfed in danger - The Globe and Mail


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## AstanoshKhan

There is much more as there is one trillion dollars worth in Pakistan at Regi (a place in Peshawar) and it is gold in Balochistan but US of A is there not only because of these natural resources but also it is stopping oil flow to China, and pirates of Sudan is part of this strategy and so is cutting of Pakistan from China.


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## Spring Onion

This is another view i dont know how much it is true i am just posting for your information.




*Afghanistan's Mineral Riches: A Conveniently Timed Zombie Story* (Updated)
By Steve Hynd
Last night, the New York Times' James Risen "broke" what the mainstream media are insisting is a blockbuster story about Afghanistan's untapped mineral wealth - not just iron and copper but strategically significant minerals like lithium and all told valued at around $1 trillion.
Wow!
*

Only...not wow. When the NYT published Risen's story to the web last night, I tweeted "What a convenient time to find $1 trillion, eh?" and "Just as McChrystal's in big trouble, liberal thinktanks starting to shift anti-war, Pentagon publicizes $1 trillion Afghan treasure trove," because this is a zombie story, resurrected yet again for political purposes.*


*Afghanistan's mineral riches were well known to the Soviets in 1985 and a US government Country Study in 2002 went into detail about their knowledge. By 2005 the US Geological Service was being publicly exuberant in its assessment of Afghanistan's mineral resources (PDF). It published other public reports about the "Significant Potential for Undiscovered Resources in Afghanistan" in 2007, one of whichfocussed on non-fuel minerals. In 2008, it was Afghan reserves of oil and gas that was making the news and in 2009, as Reuters was reporting on Afghanistan's vast mineral wealth and McLatchy was noting China's interest, rights to the vast iron deposits were already up for tender.*


Blake Hounshell is just as sceptical as I am, writing last night:
the findings on which the story was based are online and have been since 2007, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. More information is available on the Afghan mining ministry's website, including a report by the British Geological Survey (and there's more here). You can also take a look at the USGS's documentation of the airborne part of the survey here, including the full set of aerial photographs. 


*Nowhere have I found that $1 trillion figure mentioned, which Risen suggests was generated by a Pentagon task force seeking to help the Afghan government develop its resources (looking at the chart accompanying the article, though, it appears to be a straightforward tabulation of the total reserve figures for each mineral times current the current market price). According to Risen, that task force has begun prepping the mining ministry to start soliciting bids for mineral rights in the fall. *

_*Don't get me wrong. This could be a great thing for Afghanistan, which certainly deserves a lucky break after the hell it's been through over the last three decades. 


But I'm (a) skeptical of that $1 trillion figure; (b) skeptical of the timing of this story, given the bad news cycle, and (c) skeptical that Afghanistan can really figure out a way to develop these resources in a useful way. It's also worth noting, as Risen does, that it will take years to get any of this stuff out of the ground, not to mention enormous capital investment.*_ 

*Exactly. These reserves are very real but they don't help Afghanistan right now one bit and they're unlikely to really help Afghanistan down the line since the evidence says that corrupt societies that suddenly find themselves in possession of mineral wealth only get more corrupt. So, unless you're willing to encompass the conspiracy theory that the US invaded Afghanistan, at a cost of $1 trillion and rising fast, so that one day some corporations might make a few billions (and some will) we have to ask what was the point of resurrecting this zombie and painting it up so fine for Mardi Gras?*

*
Well, although Risen's lede says the news came from "senior American government officials" it's easy to see which agency wants us reading about massive strategic reserves in Afghanistan right now. The story came from the Pentagon. Risen quotes extensively from Paul A. Brinkley, "deputy undersecretary of defense for business and leader of the Pentagon team that discovered the deposits" and has General Petraeus saying that &#8220;There is stunning potential here...I think potentially it is hugely significant.&#8221; 
*

The timing is significant. In the last week, I've had several liberal think-tankers tell me privately that General McChrystal and the Pentagon's beloved COIN ideology are about to have what Gareth Porter terms a "2006 moment". With a slew of bad news about delays, unsuccessful offensives, unreliable local allies and offensives that cannot be called offensives in the past few weeks, those think-tankers expect President Obama to hold McChrystal, Petraeus and Mullen to their promise, as described by Jonathan Alter recently:
Inside the Oval Office, Obama asked Petraeus, &#8220;David, tell me now. I want you to be honest with me. You can do this in 18 months?&#8221;
&#8220;Sir, I&#8217;m confident we can train and hand over to the ANA [Afghan National Army] in that time frame,&#8221; Petraeus replied.


&#8220;Good. No problem,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;If you can&#8217;t do the things you say you can in 18 months, then no one is going to suggest we stay, right?&#8221;
&#8220;Yes, sir, in agreement,&#8221; Petraeus said.
&#8220;Yes, sir,&#8221; Mullen said.
The president was crisp but informal. &#8220;Bob, you have any problems?&#8221; he asked Gates, who said he was fine with it.
The president then encapsulated the new policy: in quickly, out quickly, focus on Al Qaeda, and build the Afghan Army. &#8220;I&#8217;m not asking you to change what you believe, but if you don&#8217;t agree with me that we can execute this, say so now,&#8221; he said. No one said anything.
&#8220;Tell me now,&#8221; Obama repeated.
&#8220;Fully support, sir,&#8221; Mullen said.
&#8220;Ditto,&#8221; Petraeus said.


Obama was trying to turn the tables on the military, to box them in after they had spent most of the year boxing him in. If, after 18 months, the situation in Afghanistan had stabilized as he expected, then troops could begin to come home. If conditions didn&#8217;t stabilize enough to begin an orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces (or if they deteriorated further), that would undermine the Pentagon&#8217;s belief in the effectiveness of more troops.

The commanders couldn&#8217;t say they didn&#8217;t have enough time to make the escalation work because they had specifically said, under explicit questioning, that they did.
There are careers on the line, not to mention the credibility of the whole counterinsurgency doctrine in which the Pentagon and its supporters have invested so much. As Marc Ambinder writes:
The general perception about the war here and overseas is that the counterinsurgency strategy has failed to prop up Hamid Karzai's government in critical areas, and is destined to ultimately fail. This is not how the war was supposed to be going, according to the theorists and policy planners in the Pentagon's policy shop. 

*What better way to remind people about the country's potential bright future -- and by people I mean the Chinese, the Russians, the Pakistanis, and the Americans -- than by publicizing or re-publicizing valid (but already public) information about the region's potential wealth?*

The Obama administration and the military know that a page-one, throat-clearing New York Times story will get instant worldwide attention. The story is accurate, but the news is not that new; let's think a bit harder about the context.

*
But I think Michael Cohen is partly wrong about the intended audience for this NYT zombie story. Michael writes:
exactly how clueless are the leakers at DoD? Did they somehow think that this "blockbuster" story would change attitudes about Afghanistan after every day last week there was another article about precisely how bad the mission there is going? ... 
*

There is nothing in this story that changes the fundamental incoherence of the current mission in Afghanistan. There is nothing here that will change the dynamics on the ground in Afghanistan and the reality of a corrupt, illegitimate Afghan government, an adaptable insurgent force and a June 2011 deadline for the commencement of US troop withdrawals. 


*The only thing this story shows is the desperation of the Pentagon in planting pie-in-the-sky news stories about Afghanistan and trying to salvage the lost cause that is our current mission there.
He is right as far as most of us unwashed peons are concerned. However, guaranteed U.S. access to "strategic reserves" of "strategic minerals", where possession is nine tenths of the game and the resources are just as valuable still in the ground as mined and processed for market, is a heady brew to mostly-hawkish senior policymakers and Very Serious think-tankers, especially if the end of the sentence goes 'and China doesn't get them". Risen's stenography isn't aimed at us, but at them and will be used to add some geopolitical weight to the arguements McChrystal and others are already beginning to make as to why they should be allowed to break their promise to Obama and the U.S. should stay in Afghanistan a few years longer.*

*
Update:* *Katie Drummond at Danger Room puts it bluntly: "No, The U.S. Didn&#8217;t Just &#8216;Discover&#8217; a $1T Afghan Motherlode":
One retired senior U.S official is calling the government&#8217;s mineral announcement &#8220;pretty silly,&#8221; Politico is reporting. &#8220;When I was living in Kabul in the early 1970&#8217;s the [U.S. government], the Russians, the World Bank, the UN and others were all highly focused on the wide range of Afghan mineral deposits. Cheap ways of moving the ore to ocean ports has always been the limiting factor.&#8221; 
At least two American geologists have been advising the Pentagon on Afghanistan&#8217;s wealth of mineral resources for years. Bonita Chamberlin, a geologist who spent 25 years working in Afghanistan, &#8220;identified 91 minerals, metals and gems at 1,407 potential mining sites,&#8221; the Los Angeles Times reported in 2001. She even wrote a book, &#8220;Gemstones in Afghanistan,&#8221; on the topic. And Chamberlin worked directly with the Pentagon, after they commissioned her to report on sandstone and limestone caves mere weeks after 9/11. 
&#8220;I am quite surprised that the military is announcing this as some &#8216;new&#8217; and &#8217;surprising&#8221; discovery,&#8217; she told Danger Room in an email. &#8220;This is NOT new. Perhaps this also hints at the real reason why we would be so intent on this war&#8230;&#8221;. 
And James Joyner at the New Atlanticist has a good roundup of reaction as he warns "Beware the hype".*


*Update 2: *readers will have noticed I originally day-dreamed my way to mentioning the wrong country in my post headline, mentioning Iraq instead of Afghanistan. A friend emails: "Man, I didn't even realize it, I just subconsciously blurred it all together. 'Oh, Iraq, Afghanistan, OK.' Somewhere Karl Rove just got a boner."
Just goes to show how pernicious that bit of framing was. And on that note, Dave earlier noted the similarity between this current story and past tales of massive oil reserves in Anbar that we were told would even out the factional inequalities in Iraq and make that nation a happy-happy-joy-joy land. And we've seen how all that oil out of Anbar has done that. Ummm....


*Update 3: *Josh Mull agrees with me about the target audience.
This story is aimed at the elites who make the wars. The Pentagon has handed the hawks in Washington a powerful factoid to be used and re-used endlessly in pursuit of their war.
How do we know this? Well, there are some very obvious clues. The article is loaded with crunchy, fact-y bits that appear substantive, but in reality have nothing to do with what&#8217;s actually at stake. Does it matter that they have rare-earth minerals and lithium for laptops and so on? No, it doesn&#8217;t matter if they struck the mother lode of chocolate ice cream. As Blake Hounsel writes, they don&#8217;t even have concrete, much less a sophisticated, multi-billion dollar mining industry capable of extracting, processing, and marketing these minerals to international companies. They want it to look like a lot of information ("Wow, lookit all the minerals!") but not actually answer any real questions ("Wait, can they even get it?").
Think-tankers love this kind of crap. They&#8217;d like nothing better than to somehow fit COIN and iPads (like most in the media, they&#8217;re commercial shills for both) into the same article. If you like your Macbook and your Prius and that application that makes your telephone fart, well, you&#8217;d better support our batshit crazy idea of invading and bombing Afghan into a peaceful democracy. Otherwise the Chinese will steal all of that copper, and they don&#8217;t give us anything (except everything).
And the Pentagon has now said that the specific figure is $908 billion. Because when you're working with zombies on such a large scale, a precise figure helps make the idea that it's all just lying around waiting for us (or China) to pick up a bit more believable, you see.


*Update 4: *I told you the VSPs would buy the narrative behind the story.
"Obama's war just became more important and more complicated at the same time," said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer who helped advise the administration last year when it was rethinking its Afghanistan strategy.
Riedel said that if the U.S. can provide the Afghans security and logistics to build up its mining capacity, Afghanistan's international stock will suddenly become more valuable. But there are a host of complications &#8212; competing industries and countries, corruption and war.
"If this was Pennsylvania, it'd turn out one way," he said. "But this is Afghanistan."
In other words, "we gotta stay now, or China wins!" 
http://www.newshoggers.com/blog/2010/06/iraqs-mineral-riches-a-conveniently-timed-zombie-story.html

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## Awesome

Dunno why this is the biggest Afghanistan news in America.

The way every media outlet in the US, has $$ in their eyes over this, does lay credence to MastanKhan's prediction.

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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

gambit said:


> First it was 'the US invaded Iraq for oil'. That did not panned out so well, did it? As if it was not enough that people ended up with eggs on their faces, now the same people who just finished cleaning themselves up strains the imagination worthy of Hollywood hacks to come up with various conspiratorial schemes for US in Afghanistan. And you guys wonder why the ME is so laughable.



In 2007, about 23&#37; of U.S. "imported" oil came from the Middle East. This percentage includes the following countries: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia makes us 17% of that 23%. This is according to the U.S. Department of Economics. 

5 percent comes from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar , United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain and you all still think the invasion of Iraq was over oil......now I understand the 81 percentile IQs and as far as China being involved in Afganistan and Pakistan, welcome and good luck.


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## Thomas

Whoever thinks that U.S. companies are going to come in and strip Afghanistan's minerals. Do not understand the realities of that industry. Most of the world Mining conglomerates are not U.S. but Canadian, British, South African, Australian, and to a lesser extent Chinese. Even in the U.S. most of the major mines are foreign owned.

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## bc040400065

June 14, 2010

*Value of Afghanistans mineral discovery needs to be dealt with cautiously*

David Robertson, Business Correspondent 


*The good news from the men at the Pentagon is that beneath the landmines Afghanistan is sitting on a goldmine. *

*Exactly when they took their degrees in geology is unclear but officials have estimated that Afghanistans mineral resources could be worth $1 trillion. *

This suspiciously round number appears to be based on geological surveys made decades ago as well as recent on-the-ground research. 

How thorough that could have been is open to debate, given that it takes the worlds best miners about a decade to explore a new area. 

Factor in Afghanistans size, and the Pentagon must have had an army of geologists working in the country since immediately after 9/11 to have accurately studied its terrain. 

*The $1 trillion figure is, therefore, highly misleading. It is a theoretical number and may have little relation to the value of resources that could actually be exploited. *

After all, you can dig up any garden in the UK and find copper, iron and all manner of other metals and minerals. The North Sea alone contains an estimated $207 billion of gold. 

The difference between a British garden and the vast mines of Australia and South Africa is that minerals and metals are found there in quantities and concentrations that make it economical to extract. 

*It will be of little benefit to Afghanistan if its $1 trillion of mineral resources would cost $2 trillion to dig up. *

The Americans have also made an error in publicising this guesstimate of Afghanistans mineral wealth because it will raise expectations and thereby inflate future facilitation payments. 

It is an unwritten rule among mining companies that you never get too specific about the potential value of deposits in developing countries as it only serves to inflate the bribes that are requested. 

Afghanistans former Minister of Mines has already been accused by the Americans of receiving a $30 million bribe to allocate mining licences. 

Even if there were $1 trillion of mineral resources in Afghanistan, and even if those resources were economically viable, it would be years before a large Western miner considered going anywhere near the country. 

*BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Anglo American  the worlds largest miners  have no intention of moving into Afghanistan because the risk is far greater than the reward. *

*It would cost $5 billion or more to develop a large copper, iron ore or gold mine in Afghanistan and potentially a further $5 billion to build the necessary infrastructure (roads, railways, etc). *

No company will risk that sort of money in a country where the Government does not control all the territory and contract law is far from solid. 

*The only people to have shown an interest in Afghanistans mines so far are the Chinese* because, unlike a private company, they can tie agreements to foreign aid, loans and arms deals  things that Kabul will not want to renege on. 

*It is possible that Chinas grab for Afghan resources has prompted the Pentagons attempt to generate some interest from the rest of the world in the countrys resources. *

The Americans might not like the idea of someone else benefiting from its military commitment to Afghanistan but Chinese mines might still be preferable to poppy fields.


Value of Afghanistan&rsquo;s mineral discovery needs to be dealt with cautiously - Times Online


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## gambit

Thomas said:


> Whoever thinks that U.S. companies are going to come in and strip Afghanistan's minerals. Do not understand the realities of that industry. Most of the world Mining conglomerates are not U.S. but Canadian, British, South African, Australian, and to a lesser extent Chinese. Even in the U.S. most of the major mines are foreign owned.


How dare you present facts...?!?!

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## Iggy

Oops seems like Indians also invading Afghanistan

5 Indian firms to bid for Afghan mines - India - The Times of India

*5 Indian firms to bid for Afghan mines*

NEW DELHI: China has first-mover advantage but India stands to gain hugely in Afghanistan if its apparently huge mineral deposits are ready to be tapped. As reports spread about Afghanistan&#8217;s untold mineral wealth, five Indian companies are among seven that have been shortlisted by Kabul to bid for huge iron ore mines there.

Afghanistan&#8217;s mineral riches are nothing new &#8212; despite US media reports highlighting a $1 trillion mineral and rare metals finds in Afghanistan as &#8220;unknown&#8221;. These reports come at a time when Afghan war officially surpassed Vietnam as America&#8217;s longest war.

China won the Aynak copper mines in an international bid in Afghanistan in 2008 for a whopping $4 billion. In 2009, the US Geological Survey told the Hamid Karzai government that Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world fighting one of the deadliest wars, was sitting on huge deposits that could transform the country in a way currently unimaginable.

In 2009, Karzai sent out senior cabinet ministers across countries to scout for investment. His then minister for mines Mohammed Ibrahim Adel told foreign investors that according to the USGS, Afghanistan&#8217;s north is estimated to hold between 600 to 700 billion cubic metres of natural gas and the country has some 25 million tonnes of oil in four basins. Adel was later removed by Karzai on account of rumours that he had made $20 million from the Chinese Metallurgical Corporation for the Aynak deal.

Afghanistan&#8217;s iron ore deposits are estimated at between five to six billion tonnes. In 2009, five Indian companies, Vedanta group&#8217;s Sesa Goa, Essar Minerals, Ispat Industries, JSW Steel and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam joined Chinese companies for a bid on the 1.8 billion tonne Hajigak iron ore mines in the Hindu Kush mountains.

In January 2010, the Karzai government put the bids on hold as corruption concerns took over. In fact, the iron projects will have to be bid for again for the same reason. But the promise of Afghanistan&#8217;s wealth may make the war a bit more palatable to western governments which are chafing at the bit in their desire to pull out troops from what seems like an unwinnable war.


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## T-Faz

Death.By.Chocolate said:


> ...yes our ships sets sail for the "largest gold nugget" known to man carrying a cargo of salves to help us exploit exotic riches. We paid for allegiance of Warlords and Kings, killed those that opposed us hexed those that could not be killed....
> 
> Sometimes I get carried away with MastanKhan's imagination, lets curb our predisposition to fantasy and acknowledge that we're now in the 21st century. And in this century of "civilized nations" where "civilized humans" live in civilized transparent societies, is it really possible for the US government to perpetuate the fraud of the century as you suggest?
> 
> The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) has been engaged in Afghanistan since the early 50's.
> 
> 
> 
> The USGS along with Geological institutes from several nations were commissioned by the World Bank in 2004 to develop the mining infrastructure, formulate new laws and build a portfolio to attract foreign investments in the mining sector.
> 
> *So your claim of secret riches being exploited on the pretext of war on terror ..is ..is.. ridiculous to say the very least. *
> 
> USGS Projects in Afghanistan
> 
> ..the only problem keeping Afghan natural resource from the market since the 1950's is investors. We are working with several nations and the World Bank to make it happen for the future of the people of Afghanistan.



Actually some US officials were so infuriated with the Taliban in regards to them not finalizing the pipeline deal that they threatened war against Afghanistan even before 911.



> *July 21, 2001: US Official Threatens Possible Military Action Against Taliban by October if Pipeline Is Not Pursued *
> 
> Three former American officials, Tom Simons (former US Ambassador to Pakistan), Karl Inderfurth (former Deputy Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs), and Lee Coldren (former State Department expert on South Asia) meet with Pakistani and Russian intelligence officers in a Berlin hotel. [SALON, 8/16/2002] This is the third of a series of back-channel conferences called brainstorming on Afghanistan. Taliban representatives sat in on previous meetings, but boycotted this one due to worsening tensions. However, the Pakistani ISI relays information from the meeting to the Taliban. [GUARDIAN, 9/22/2001] At the meeting, Coldren passes on a message from Bush officials. He later says,* I think there was some discussion of the fact that the United States was so disgusted with the Taliban that they might be considering some military action. *[GUARDIAN, 9/26/2001] Accounts vary, but former Pakistani Foreign Secretary Niaz Naik later says he is told by senior American officials at the meeting that military action to overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan is planned to *take place before the snows started falling in Afghanistan, by the middle of October at the latest.* The goal is to kill or capture both bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar, topple the Taliban regime, and install a transitional government of moderate Afghans in its place. Uzbekistan and Russia would also participate. Naik also says, It was doubtful that Washington would drop its plan even if bin Laden were to be surrendered immediately by the Taliban. [BBC, 9/18/2001] *One specific threat made at this meeting is that the Taliban can choose between carpets of bombs an invasionor carpets of gold the pipeline. [BRISARD AND DASQUIE, 2002, PP. 43]* Naik contends that Tom Simons made the carpets statement. Simons claims, *Its possible that a mischievous American participant, after several drinks, may have thought it smart to evoke gold carpets and carpet bombs. Even Americans cant resist the temptation to be mischievous. Naik and the other American participants deny that the pipeline was an issue at the meeting. [SALON, 8/16/2002]*




So you see wars can and have been fought over natural resources. I am not so sure about this one but many people now would think that these natural resources had something to do with the war.


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## dbc

T-Faz said:


> Actually some *FORMER* US officials were so infuriated with the Taliban in regards to them not finalizing the pipeline deal that they *allegedly* threatened war against Afghanistan even before 911.



..I altered your post and it reads much better now...don't you think?

First there isn't any evidence just accusations made by some unnamed source. Second, you failed to establish a connection to the US Government - if these alleged threats were in fact made was it issued at the behest of the US Government?


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## T-Faz

Death.By.Chocolate said:


> ..I altered your post and it reads much better now...don't you think?
> 
> First there isn't any evidence just accusations made by some unnamed source. Second, you failed to establish a connection to the US Government - if these alleged threats were in fact made was it issued at the behest of the US Government.



Actually these guys were representing the USG at a meeting that was being held on Afghanistan where our much respected official was told of this. When a government official blurts out such words, it definitely warrants attention. You cannot expect the government to issue such statements that would cause great disturbance in the international arena. Like a particular retired army officer who posts on this forum said, most things happen behind closed doors, only a limited and altered version is rarely released to the public. 

What I posted is clearly referenced and if you follow the events around this particular one you will notice that Enron had a lot riding on Afghanistan and the proposed TAPI pipeline. We now what happened to that company and we also know the kind of dealings this particular company was involved in.

Just for your kind information ma'am, the person in question Niaz Naik, died under mysterious circumstances recently. Guess he knew too much for his own good.


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## gambit

T-Faz said:


> Actually some US officials were so infuriated with the Taliban in regards to them not finalizing the pipeline deal that they threatened war against Afghanistan even before 911.


US officials? Sounds ominous...

BBC News | BUSINESS | Afghanistan plans gas pipeline


> Unocal - which led a consortium of companies from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Japan and South Korea - has maintained the project is both economically and technically feasible once Afghan stability was secured.
> 
> "Unocal is not involved in any projects (including pipelines) in Afghanistan, nor do we have any plans to become involved, nor are we discussing any such projects," a spokesman told BBC News Online.
> 
> *The US company formally withdrew from the consortium in 1998. *


Unocal withdrew from the consortium back in 1998.

Unocal Statement: Suspension of activities related to proposed Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline 8/21/98


> El Segundo, Calif., Aug. 21, 1998 -- As a result of sharply deteriorating political conditions in the region, Unocal, which serves as the development manager for the Central Asia Gas (CentGas) pipeline consortium, has suspended all activities involving the proposed pipeline project in Afghanistan. We are discussing this suspension with the other members of the consortium.
> 
> This decision to suspend activities is consistent with Unocal's long-held position concerning its involvement in the project. For the past several months, Unocal has been reviewing this project with CentGas participants. We have consistently informed the other participants that unless and until the United Nations and the United States government recognize a legitimate government in Afghanistan, Unocal would not invest capital in the project. Contrary to some published reports, Unocal has not - and will not - become a party to a commercial agreement with any individual Afghanistan faction.
> 
> Unocal was instrumental in proposing the Central Asia gas pipeline project in 1995 and in forming the seven-member CentGas consortium in October 1997. The consortium was formed to evaluate and, if appropriate, to participate in the future construction of a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to natural gas markets in Pakistan and, potentially, India.
> 
> Unocal will only participate in construction of the proposed Central Asia Gas Pipeline when and if Afghanistan achieves the peace and stability necessary to obtain financing from international lending agencies for this project and an established government is recognized by the United Nations and the United States. For this reason, we strongly support the United Nations conflict resolution process underway in this and other regions.
> 
> We believe that the CentGas pipeline would benefit the entire region by providing vitally needed energy infrastructure, employment and training, as well as hard currency revenues to the several countries involved. The proposed pipeline is an example of a large-scale project that may, after the appropriate conditions are met, help Afghanistan move from its present devastation toward economic reconstruction.
> 
> Since the pipeline project was first proposed, there have been a number of complex issues that Unocal has taken very seriously. Unocal recognizes the legitimate concerns regarding the treatment of women in Afghanistan. Consistent with our core values and business principles, Unocal is currently providing humanitarian support and skills training to Afghanistan through CARE and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Neither program is designed to provide pipeline construction skills training. These programs meet or exceed UN guidelines for doing fieldwork in Afghanistan. They include basic job skills training and education for both men and women, and elementary education for boys and girls. Unocal has also contributed relief assistance for victims of the recent earthquakes through the Red Cross and the United Nations.


Now...Is it true that China and Pakistan got into a trans-Karakoram oil-gas pipeline deal?


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## dbc

T-Faz said:


> Actually these guys were representing the USG at a meeting that was being held on Afghanistan where our much respected official was told of this. When a government official blurts out such words, it definitely warrants attention. You cannot expect the government to issue such statements that would cause great disturbance in the international arena. Like a particular retired army officer who posts on this forum said, most things happen behind closed doors, only a limited and altered version is rarely released to the public.
> 
> What I posted is clearly referenced and if you follow the events around this particular one you will notice that Enron had a lot riding on Afghanistan and the proposed TAPI pipeline. We now what happened to that company and we also know the kind of dealings this particular company was involved in.
> 
> Just for your kind information ma'am, the person in question Niaz Naik died under mysterious circumstances recently. Guess he knew too much for his own good.



T-Faz, my government expects to have spent close to two trillion dollars on WOT by 2019. It makes no sense to attack a foreign country risk the lives or our troops, sink deeper in debt for control of Afghan mineral resources of questionable value. Even if it is correctly valued at a trillion dollars, the pass thru revenue for the US economy will be a small fraction of the total worth. We've already spent much more than can be expected as ROI from exploiting Afghanistan.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf

Once you read the congressional report I've provided as reference _"The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11"_ you will conclude that Afghanistan is sunk cost for the US.


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## T-Faz

gambit said:


> US officials? Sounds ominous...
> 
> BBC News | BUSINESS | Afghanistan plans gas pipeline
> 
> Unocal withdrew from the consortium back in 1998.
> 
> Unocal Statement: Suspension of activities related to proposed Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline 8/21/98
> 
> Now...Is it true that China and Pakistan got into a trans-Karakoram oil-gas pipeline deal?



Uzbekistan was not keen on the project because of the taliban.



> June 1998: *Enron Shuts Down Uzbekistan Pipeline Project*
> **
> Enron&#8217;s agreement from 1996 (see June 24, 1996) to develop natural gas with Uzbekistan is not renewed. Enron closes its office there. The reason for the &#8220;failure of Enron&#8217;s flagship project&#8221; is an inability to get the natural gas out of the region. Uzbekistan&#8217;s production is &#8220;well below capacity&#8221; and only 10 percent of its production is being exported, all to other countries in the region. The hope was to use a pipeline through Afghanistan, but &#8220;Uzbekistan is extremely concerned at the growing strength of the Taliban and its potential impact on stability in Uzbekistan, making any future cooperation on a pipeline project which benefits the Taliban unlikely.&#8221; A $12 billion pipeline through China is being considered as one solution, but that wouldn&#8217;t be completed until the end of the next decade at the earliest. [ALEXANDER'S GAS & OIL CONNECTIONS, 10/12/1998]



Mazar-e-sharif was conquered by the Taliban earlier in the month your cited article was published.



> August 9, 1998: *Northern Alliance Stronghold Conquered by Taliban; Pipeline Project Now Looks Promising*
> **
> The Northern Alliance capital of Afghanistan, Mazar-i-Sharif, is conquered by the Taliban. Military support of Pakistan&#8217;s ISI plays a large role; there is even an intercept of an ISI officer stating, &#8220;My boys and I are riding into Mazar-i-Sharif.&#8221; [NEW YORK TIMES, 12/8/2001] This victory gives the Taliban control of 90 percent of Afghanistan, including the entire proposed pipeline route. CentGas, the consortium behind the gas pipeline that would run through Afghanistan, is now &#8220;ready to proceed. Its main partners are the American oil firm Unocal and Delta Oil of Saudi Arabia, plus Hyundai of South Korea, two Japanese companies, a Pakistani conglomerate and the Turkmen government.&#8221; However, the pipeline cannot be financed unless the government is officially recognized. &#8220;Diplomatic sources said the Taliban&#8217;s offensive was well prepared and deliberately scheduled two months ahead of the next UN meeting&#8221; where members are to decide whether the Taliban should be recognized. [DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/13/1998]





> June 2001: *Enron Shuts Down Expensive Indian Plant After Afghan Pipeline Fails to Materialize*
> **
> Enron&#8217;s power plant in Dabhol, India, is shut down. The failure of the $3 billion plant, Enron&#8217;s largest investment, contributes to Enron&#8217;s bankruptcy in December. Earlier in the year, India stopped paying its bill for the energy from the plant, because energy from the plant cost three times the usual rates. [NEW YORK TIMES, 3/20/2001] Enron had hoped to feed the plant with cheap Central Asian gas, but this hope was dashed when a gas pipeline through Afghanistan was not completed. The larger part of the plant is still only 90 percent complete when construction stops around this time. [NEW YORK TIMES, 3/20/2001] Enron executives meet with Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans about its troubled Dabhol power plant during this year [NEW YORK TIMES, 2/21/2002] , and Vice President Cheney lobbies the leader of India&#8217;s main opposition party about the plant this month. [NEW YORK TIMES, 2/21/2002]



Great timing.



> October 9, 2001: *Afghan Pipeline Idea Is Revived*
> **
> US Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin meets with the Pakistani oil minister. She is briefed on the gas pipeline project from Turkmenistan, across Afghanistan, to Pakistan, which appears to be revived &#8220;in view of recent geopolitical developments&#8221; &#8212;in other words, the 9/11 attacks. [FRONTIER POST, 10/10/2001]



As for the trans-Karakoram pipeline, yes we were in it for our piece of the cake.


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## T-Faz

Death.By.Chocolate said:


> T-Faz, my government expects to have spent close to two trillion dollars on WOT by 2019. It makes no sense to attack a foreign country risk the lives or our troops, sink deeper in debt for control of Afghan mineral resources of questionable value. Even if it is correctly valued at a trillion dollars, the pass thru revenue for the US economy will be a small fraction of the total worth. We've already spent much more than can be expected as ROI from exploiting Afghanistan.
> 
> http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf
> 
> Once you read the congressional report I've provided as reference _"The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11"_ you will conclude that Afghanistan is sunk cost for the US.



Just to be clear, I am in no way certain or in agreement with the view that US fought the war in Afghanistan for their resources but I am not entirely sure of the circumstances surrounding it either. Have a look at this and share your views please.



> August 2-3, 2001: *Taliban Official Predicts US Will Invade Afghanistan by Mid-October, Possibly in Response to Major Attack Inside US*
> **
> A senior official in the Taliban&#8217;s defense ministry tells journalist Hamid Mir that the US will soon invade Afghanistan. Mir will later recall that he is told, &#8220;*[W]e believe Americans are going to invade Afghanistan and they will do this before October 15, 2001, and justification for this would be either one of two options: Taliban got control of Afghanistan or a big major attack against American interests either inside America or elsewhere in the world*.&#8221; Mir reports this information before 9/11, presumably in the newspaper in Pakistan that he works for. [BERGEN, 2006, PP. 287] Interestingly, Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar made a similar prediction to Mir several months before (see April 2001). *Also, several weeks earlier, US officials reportedly passed word to Taliban officials in a back channel meeting that the US may soon attack Afghanistan if the Taliban do not cooperate on building an oil and gas pipeline running through the country. According to one participant in the meeting, the US attack would take place &#8220;by the middle of October at the latest&#8221; *(see July 21, 2001).



I am perplexed by the events that occurred around this time and seriously question some things that happened.


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

Let me try it again, on 911, 3000 americans were murdered in cold blood by an organization based in Afghanstan. When the Afghanstan would not cooperate with the USA in bringing those responsible to justice the Afghanstan Goverment was held responsible and destroyed. Since then the USA has been trying to install a new goverment and get out of Afghanstan.
If 911 had not happened we would not be there. It really dont take rocket scientist to figure that out. Personally I would not have ever voted or supported a poltican that would have opposed the invasion of Afghanstan.


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## SekrutYakhni

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> Let me try it again, on 911, 3000 americans were murdered in cold blood by an organization based in Afghanstan. When the Afghanstan would not cooperate with the USA in bringing those responsible to justice the Afghanstan Goverment was held responsible and destroyed. Since then the USA has been trying to install a new goverment and get out of Afghanstan.
> If 911 had not happened we would not be there. It really dont take rocket scientist to figure that out. Personally I would not have ever voted or supported a poltican that would have opposed the invasion of Afghanstan.




While Muslim non-state terrorists are allegedly responsible for the deaths of 7,000 Western civilians in the last 40 years (this including 2,000 Israelis violently occupying Palestinian lands and ignoring the most probable US and Israeli responsibility for the 3,000 people murdered on 9/11), the violent and non-violent excess deaths associated so far with the Bush wars (1990-2009) now total 9-11 million.


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

9 to 11 million wow, can you provide any reliable sources or are you just makeing up figures as you go along and every time a Muslim dies the USA is not responsible...does any one have any real figures they want to share.

Do you realize that the economy of Afghanstan has improved since 2002.
The economy of Afghanistan has improved significantly since 2002 due to the infusion of billions of US dollars in international assistance and investments, as well as remittances from expats.[5] It is also due to dramatic improvements in agricultural production and the end of a four-year drought in most of the country.

While antiamericans want to blame for example every death on child birth for example on americans the standard of living in Afghanstan has actually improved since 2002. Look it up but use a reliable source . Remember what John Wayne says.


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## MastanKhan

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> Let me try it again, on 911, 3000 americans were murdered in cold blood by an organization based in Afghanstan. When the Afghanstan would not cooperate with the USA in bringing those responsible to justice the Afghanstan Goverment was held responsible and destroyed. Since then the USA has been trying to install a new goverment and get out of Afghanstan.
> If 911 had not happened we would not be there. It really dont take rocket scientist to figure that out. Personally I would not have ever voted or supported a poltican that would have opposed the invasion of Afghanstan.





Sir,

We never had any problem with you seeking justice---taking charge and executing the al qaeda and their cohorts----. But it is 8 years now---you have killed close to a million muslims---when al qaeda was trapped--you let them slip out the net, at tora bora---you let Mullah Umar slip out of Kandhar.

If it was your revenge---then it was onto you to have taken the revenge---that was your moral obligation to the 3000 dead---but you failed your moral obligation miserably----you hired cut throats and murderers---the northern alliance to do your job---you were living so high and mighty---you lived and felt so clean---that you didnot want to kill the murderers of your very own by your own hands.

Even your special forces men following Bin Laden at tora bora also chickened out and ran back to save their live lest they got hurt-----SHAME ON YOUR SOLDIERS. 

AT LEAST THEY COULD HAVE MADE THE CHARGE LIKE THAT OF THE 'LIGHT BRIGADE'----and would have died in the cause of glory to the american flag as warriors do---when the time came to take Bin Laden out----but they hid behind the skirts of the orders---yes the orders and cavalry never showed up to take down bin laden.

I give credit to that man Gary Brooks Faulkner---a man by himself---with a handgun---a knife and a sword---in the hindu kush mountains all alone----to take the revenge---DIE IN SHAME AMERICAN SPECIAL FORCES---DIE IN SHAME if you have any.



Captain America---sir---when it happens on your watch---it is your responsibility---whenyou take the credit for all the good---then whatever the sh-it that accumulates---will be dumped on you as well. You just can't pickup the roses and claim the scent---you got to claim the stench coming from the cadavers that you buried in the hole.

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## PakSher

Great news! Afghanistan prospers and 8 million Afghans illegally living in Pakistan can return home to a wealthy country. They also will be able to import food and necessary items and they will stop fighting for good and lead better lives.


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## All-Green

Thomas said:


> Whoever thinks that U.S. companies are going to come in and strip Afghanistan's minerals. Do not understand the realities of that industry. Most of the world Mining conglomerates are not U.S. but Canadian, British, South African, Australian, and to a lesser extent Chinese. Even in the U.S. most of the major mines are foreign owned.



True, the latest Oil Spill damaging US coast is due to drilling operation of BP which is UK based.

I know i am going off topic but is there any particular reason for this?
Knowing that US industrial might is second to none, what is the business case in letting foreign firms operate in US for such extensive mining/drilling operations?


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## Thomas

All-Green said:


> True, the latest Oil Spill damaging US coast is due to drilling operation of BP which is UK based.
> 
> I know i am going off topic but is there any particular reason for this?
> Knowing that US industrial might is second to none, what is the business case in letting foreign firms operate in US for such extensive mining/drilling operations?



it's all about free market and world economics. it really depends on the industry. it just happens that mining is not one area the U.S. dominates. The Canadians and South Africans are probably the strongest in that area. 

On a side note BP also owns the largest copper mine in the U.S.


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## Spring Onion

seiko said:


> Oops seems like Indians also invading Afghanistan
> 
> 5 Indian firms to bid for Afghan mines - India - The Times of India
> 
> *5 Indian firms to bid for Afghan mines*
> 
> NEW DELHI:* China has first-mover advantage but India stands to gain hugely in Afghanistan if its apparently huge mineral deposits are ready to be tapped.* As reports spread about Afghanistans untold mineral wealth, five Indian companies are among seven that have been shortlisted by Kabul to bid for huge iron ore mines there.
> 
> Afghanistans mineral riches are nothing new  despite US media reports highlighting a $1 trillion mineral and rare metals finds in Afghanistan as unknown. These reports come at a time when Afghan war officially surpassed Vietnam as Americas longest war.
> 
> China won the Aynak copper mines in an international bid in Afghanistan in 2008 for a whopping $4 billion. In 2009, the US Geological Survey told the Hamid Karzai government that Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world fighting one of the deadliest wars, was sitting on huge deposits that could transform the country in a way currently unimaginable.
> 
> In 2009, Karzai sent out senior cabinet ministers across countries to scout for investment. His then minister for mines Mohammed Ibrahim Adel told foreign investors that according to the USGS, Afghanistans north is estimated to hold between 600 to 700 billion cubic metres of natural gas and the country has some 25 million tonnes of oil in four basins. Adel was later removed by Karzai on account of rumours that he had made $20 million from the Chinese Metallurgical Corporation for the Aynak deal.
> 
> Afghanistans iron ore deposits are estimated at between five to six billion tonnes. In 2009, five Indian companies, Vedanta groups Sesa Goa, Essar Minerals, Ispat Industries, JSW Steel and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam joined Chinese companies for a bid on the 1.8 billion tonne Hajigak iron ore mines in the Hindu Kush mountains.
> 
> In January 2010, the Karzai government put the bids on hold as corruption concerns took over. In fact, the iron projects will have to be bid for again for the same reason. But the promise of Afghanistans wealth may make the war a bit more palatable to western governments which are chafing at the bit in their desire to pull out troops from what seems like an unwinnable war.




 Old data reconstructed by Orange media to suit the news and befool some people.

Have a heart China was there before you for those bids in the past. 
China would be a good choice for Afghanistan in this regard. 

Their Cos and workers are far officiant and have a good reputation.


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

MastanKhan said:


> Sir,
> 
> We never had any problem with you seeking justice---taking charge and executing the al qaeda and their cohorts----. But it is 8 years now---you have killed close to a million muslims---when al qaeda was trapped--you let them slip out the net, at tora bora---you let Mullah Umar slip out of Kandhar.
> 
> If it was your revenge---then it was onto you to have taken the revenge---that was your moral obligation to the 3000 dead---but you failed your moral obligation miserably----you hired cut throats and murderers---the northern alliance to do your job---you were living so high and mighty---you lived and felt so clean---that you didnot want to kill the murderers of your very own by your own hands.
> 
> Even your special forces men following Bin Laden at tora bora also chickened out and ran back to save their live lest they got hurt-----SHAME ON YOUR SOLDIERS.
> 
> AT LEAST THEY COULD HAVE MADE THE CHARGE LIKE THAT OF THE 'LIGHT BRIGADE'----and would have died in the cause of glory to the american flag as warriors do---when the time came to take Bin Laden out----but they hid behind the skirts of the orders---yes the orders and cavalry never showed up to take down bin laden.
> 
> I give credit to that man Gary Brooks Faulkner---a man by himself---with a handgun---a knife and a sword---in the hindu kush mountains all alone----to take the revenge---DIE IN SHAME AMERICAN SPECIAL FORCES---DIE IN SHAME if you have any.
> 
> 
> 
> Captain America---sir---when it happens on your watch---it is your responsibility---whenyou take the credit for all the good---then whatever the sh-it that accumulates---will be dumped on you as well. You just can't pickup the roses and claim the scent---you got to claim the stench coming from the cadavers that you buried in the hole.



Every Muslim that dies in the Islamic world is not caused by the USA or its responsibility, religious extremist like the Taliban are pulling the Islamic world and Pakistan back into the dark of the middleages.....the USA and much of the rest of the world is not going peacefully. Any one that questions the courage of American Soldiers is a fool..


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## Spring Onion

It is a fact that each ton of sea water contains one milligram of GOLD,
BUT the catch-22 is the cost,which outweighs the return,according to the calculations of Joseph Stiglitz ,an economist and noble prize winner,as well as that of Linda Bilmesa Harvard professor,it has cost the Americans a cool $ 10 Trillion for the Afghan-iraq venture,to extract hypothetically these $1 trillion,underground minerals, spread over years and years,the cost like the sea water gold extraction, will,outweigh the return.

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## Ahmad

T-pain said:


> i think iran has voted against india every time,now it's india's turn.so nothing different



i dont care about it.


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## Iggy

Jana said:


> Old data reconstructed by Orange media to suit the news and befool some people.
> 
> Have a heart China was there before you for those bids in the past.
> China would be a good choice for Afghanistan in this regard.
> 
> Their Cos and workers are far officiant and have a good reputation.



Lady any body has the good quote is going to win the bid..even if it is China or India..and its beneficial for Afgans any way ..Because of the competition Afganistan is going to gain than any one there...

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## MastanKhan

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> Every Muslim that dies in the Islamic world is not caused by the USA or its responsibility, religious extremist like the Taliban are pulling the Islamic world and Pakistan back into the dark of the middleages.....the USA and much of the rest of the world is not going peacefully. Any one that questions the courage of American Soldiers is a fool..



Hi,

Those that died on your watch are your responsibility---I didn't make an open statement about that.

Those special forces aty tora bora---if they had read " THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE"---would have been a different story.

If the u s was so bent upon revenge---then these special forces soldiers should have laid their lives down for the cause and put Tommy Franks and Rummy to shame---that was their oppurtunity---they had to oppurtunity to re-write history with their blood and sdacrifice---they chose to remain ordinary. FOR AMERICA they should have done it---at least it would have bropught some honor and dignity to the cause they were fighting for.

Every soldier has courage when they have the support of first world technology at their finger tips---all the support of air warfare a call away---but when it came to one on one---they wanted to wait for the orders from the headquarters---and yes---I doubt their courage----and if they don't kill me first---I will say it on their faces as well.

Now someone go tell that to Gen Sharon--(who is in a comma now)----tell him not to cross the suez to cutoff the egyptian army because the HQ said not to---would have been a different story.

Bottomline is that 8 years is long enough time to complete a job---after that it is a failure---.

History will tell the truth----it will stay as another failure on your crown and there will come a time---when nations won't bbe afraid of the united states and will openly condemn this aggression.

There has to be a LIMIT TO HOW MUCH REVENGE YOU CAN SEEK FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED AGAINST YOU.

This aggression in afg has gone way past that point.

I also would not have supported any u s politician if they had not gone into afg to seek revenge---but the problem is that it was neither a revenge war---it just became a peashoot---the revenge got handed over to cut-throats and scavengers. Once it got to that point---U S lost all its credibility and compassion for its loss.

If you are not man enough and your soldiers not men enough to take out the al qaeda on day one two and three----then-----.


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## SekrutYakhni

MastanKhan said:


> Hi,
> 
> Those that died on your watch are your responsibility---I didn't make an open statement about that.
> 
> Those special forces aty tora bora---if they had read " THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE"---would have been a different story.
> 
> If the u s was so bent upon revenge---then these special forces soldiers should have laid their lives down for the cause and put Tommy Franks and Rummy to shame---that was their oppurtunity---they had to oppurtunity to re-write history with their blood and sdacrifice---they chose to remain ordinary. FOR AMERICA they should have done it---at least it would have bropught some honor and dignity to the cause they were fighting for.
> 
> Every soldier has courage when they have the support of first world technology at their finger tips---all the support of air warfare a call away---but when it came to one on one---they wanted to wait for the orders from the headquarters---and yes---I doubt their courage----and if they don't kill me first---I will say it on their faces as well.
> 
> Now someone go tell that to Gen Sharon--(who is in a comma now)----tell him not to cross the suez to cutoff the egyptian army because the HQ said not to---would have been a different story.
> 
> Bottomline is that 8 years is long enough time to complete a job---after that it is a failure---.
> 
> History will tell the truth----it will stay as another failure on your crown and there will come a time---when nations won't bbe afraid of the united states and will openly condemn this aggression.
> 
> There has to be a LIMIT TO HOW MUCH REVENGE YOU CAN SEEK FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED AGAINST YOU.
> 
> This aggression in afg has gone way past that point.
> 
> I also would not have supported any u s politician if they had not gone into afg to seek revenge---but the problem is that it was neither a revenge war---it just became a peashoot---the revenge got handed over to cut-throats and scavengers. Once it got to that point---U S lost all its credibility and compassion for its loss.
> 
> If you are not man enough and your soldiers not men enough to take out the al qaeda on day one two and three----then-----.



"Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."
Mao Tse-Tung

&#8220;When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.&#8221;
Jimi Hendrix 

&#8220;Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.&#8221;
Abraham Lincoln 

&#8220;The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while&#8221;
Albert Einstein

Revenge-- The U.S. or any other nation has the right to seek revenge but there is a difference between revenge and ruthlessness. As soon as NATO, ISAF and large numbers of the U.S. troops went in, it was visible to the blind that the intentions of the policy makers were different than strictly going after Al Qaeda. I do not buy your theory about the failure of special forces. Even if the special forces failed, it would not have taken eight years to find Osama Bin Laden and still they are not successful. The U.S intended to stay long in this region and I have said this many times; the U.S. is not withdrawing from Afghanistan in the near future. The U.S took revenge of three thousand people killed on 9/11 but Iraqis and Afghans will seek revenge from the U.S. of millions of lives lost. The children, women, boys, men everyone of every age group died. What about that?
Death is like a magnet which attracts you. Similarly, the U.S. is going closer; day by day and month by month. Isn't it interesting to see the demise of several empires and super powers in last two hundred years? French, British, Ottoman, German, Soviet, Japan and now the U.S. 
Oh, we are still trying to live in peace!


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

To me the people responsible for all the deaths and misery are the Islamic Extremist and all those that support them that murdred 3000 americans in cold blood on 911 and caused the death of hundreds of thousand since then., not the USA. Perhaps you are right and this is the start of never ending war that will last for generations. 

I see it more as a conflict between the modren world an those that want to destroy the modren world and live in a premitive backward barbaric religious world where their religion is supreme and women are denied education.


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## Ahmad

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> To me the people responsible for all the deaths and misery are the Islamic Extremist and all those that support them that murdred 3000 americans in cold blood on 911 and hundreds of thousand since then., not the USA. Perhaps you are right and this is the start of never ending war that will last for generations.
> 
> I see it more as a conflict between the modren world an those that want to destroy the modren world and live in a premitive *backward barbaric religious worl*d.



and this barbaric religious world include the zionists, extremist jewish settlers as well as some other extremist groups in the US. Sadly the Taliban and Al Qaeda are not the only ones, they have their counter parts in the other side of the world too.


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

Ahmad said:


> and this barbaric religious world include the zionists, extremist jewish settlers as well as some other extremist groups in the US. Sadly the Taliban and Al Qaeda are not the only ones, they have their counter parts in the other side of the world too.



I agree with you, but in the case of the Taliban 
What we have is the confrontation of two civilisations: a modern and liberated one clashing with another one trailing behind by a couple of centuries due to lack of education and science, still stuck in superstitions, under the grip of primitive beliefs and which has not yet accomplished the fundamental step of separating church and state.

I dont think we can make any compromise with such people.


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## Ahmad

^^nobody is arguing with you on how the taliban is. they are evil, simple as that.


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## GUNNER

*An Afghan mining official has said untapped minerals in the war-torn country are worth at least 3 trillion dollars - triple a recent U.S. estimate.

Minister of Mines, Wahidullah Shahrani, said he's going to Britian next week to discuss how to attract foreign investors to mine one of the world's largest iron ore deposits in Bamiyan province.

He said in addition to iron ore, Afghanistan also has deposits of copper, coal and rare earth metals, such as lithium.

Precious metals like gold, along with gemstones, construction materials and significant deposits of oil and gas are also present in various parts of the country.*


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## Spring Onion

CAPTAIN AMERICA said:


> To me the people responsible for all the deaths and misery are the Islamic Extremist and all those that support them that murdred 3000 americans in cold blood on 911 and caused the death of hundreds of thousand since then., not the USA. Perhaps you are right and this is the start of never ending war that will last for generations.




To us the 9/11 is caused by Christian, Jewish extremists who had killed thousands of Palestinians, who have killed hundreds in Kwait, Iraq War by instigating it. As they say every action has a reaction.'

The Crusade against Muslims have entered generations already 



> I see it more as a conflict between the modren world an those that want to destroy the modren world and live in a premitive backward barbaric religious world where their religion is supreme and women are denied education.



Oh dont tell me that US is only modern world and the entire Muslim block is backward.

China/Sweden and many other countries are as modern as anyone can be so why then Muslims are not jealous of them ??

And dont tell me that in US women have all rights and i am posting my comments here while sitting in caves


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## Spring Onion

GUNNER said:


> *An Afghan mining official has said untapped minerals in the war-torn country are worth at least 3 trillion dollars - triple a recent U.S. estimate.
> 
> Minister of Mines, Wahidullah Shahrani, said he's going to Britian next week to discuss how to attract foreign investors to mine one of the world's largest iron ore deposits in Bamiyan province.
> 
> He said in addition to iron ore, Afghanistan also has deposits of copper, coal and rare earth metals, such as lithium.
> 
> Precious metals like gold, along with gemstones, construction materials and significant deposits of oil and gas are also present in various parts of the country.*




 Britain ???? what makes the choice ??


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## humblehobbes

Jana said:


> Britain ???? what makes the choice ??



Stockholm Syndrome Perhaps?!


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## GUNNER

KABUL, June 17, 2010 (AFP) - Afghanistan's mining minister said Thursday that mineral deposits in his country could be worth up to three trillion dollars, tripling a US estimate from earlier this week.

The results of the US geological survey released this week by American officials said Afghanistan had huge reserves of lithium, iron, copper, gold, niobium, mercury, cobalt and other minerals worth nearly one trillion dollars.

"A very conservative estimate has been one trillion. Our estimation is more than that... the idea is it could be up to three trillion dollars," Afghan mining minister Waheedullah Shahrani told a news conference.

*When asked what his estimate was based on, the minister said: "the visibility of the minerals".*

There are also bigger than expected reserves of oil and gas, mostly in northern Afghanistan, Shahrani said, and one of the deposits in Kunduz province would be offered for exploration next year.

*"The new findings show that there are five new oil and gas blocks in Afghanistan. The biggest of them is the Afghan-Tajik basin in the province of Kunduz. We'll put this up for tender next year," he said.*

Shahrani has already said *the country would organise a roadshow to promote opportunities for foreign investors on June 25 in London.*

The US survey found Afghanistan's potential lithium deposits are as large of those of Bolivia, which has the world's largest known reserves of the lightweight metal, used to make batteries for mobile phones and laptops.

*The biggest mining contract Afghanistan has ever signed is that of Aynak, a huge copper mine awarded to a Chinese company last year. *The minister said the work on Aynak, just south of Kabul, was underway.

But he acknowledged the war-torn nation, still gripped by a deadly Islamist insurgency led by the Taliban, had a long way to go before it could tap its underground wealth.

"Developing mines will take a long time," he said, admitting Afghanistan lacked the basic infrastructure for major mining investments.

The United States has also said it could take years to develop the industry, and acknowledged that Afghanistan, widely considered one of the most corrupt countries in the world, would be challenged to ensure profits did not enrich only a few.

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## Gin ka Pakistan

Afghan mineral wealth may be greater: $3 trillion 

By Deb Riechmann, The Associated Press
KABUL - An Afghan mining official says the untapped minerals in the war-torn country are worth at least $3 trillion &#8212; triple a U.S. estimate.

Minister of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani said Thursday he's going to Britian next week to discuss how to attract foreign investors to mine one of the world's largest iron ore deposits in Bamiyan province. The relatively safe area is in the heart of the war-torn nation.

The U.S. Department of Defence earlier said Afghanistan's reserves of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and other prized minerals could be worth $1 trillion. Shahrani says that's conservative.

The ministry has been working with international partners to assess Afghanistan's mineral reserves and improve the expertise of Afghan geologists.

Afghan mineral wealth may be greater: &#36;3 trillion - Yahoo! Canada News


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## CAPTAIN AMERICA

Jana said:


> To us the 9/11 is caused by Christian, Jewish extremists who had killed thousands of Palestinians, who have killed hundreds in Kwait, Iraq War by instigating it. As they say every action has a reaction.'
> 
> The Crusade against Muslims have entered generations already
> 
> 
> 
> Oh dont tell me that US is only modern world and the entire Muslim block is backward.
> 
> China/Sweden and many other countries are as modern as anyone can be so why then Muslims are not jealous of them ??
> 
> And dont tell me that in US women have all rights and i am posting my comments here while sitting in caves



David Letterman, saying that people from the Middle East felt anger because they "see themselves as the world's losers. They would never admit that. They see us. We have everything. We win everything. They see themselves and think, 'We should be a great people but we're not'. It drives them batty. They hate us for who and what we are." Maybe you dont see China and Sweden as winners.

And if you are in a cave where are plugging in your computer.


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## TopCat

Keep dreaming guys.. for my entire life I been hearing that Africa is rich in mineral resources too...


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## MastanKhan

saad445566 said:


> "Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."
> Mao Tse-Tung
> 
> When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
> Jimi Hendrix
> 
> Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
> Abraham Lincoln
> 
> The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while
> Albert Einstein
> 
> Revenge-- The U.S. or any other nation has the right to seek revenge but there is a difference between revenge and ruthlessness. As soon as NATO, ISAF and large numbers of the U.S. troops went in, it was visible to the blind that the intentions of the policy makers were different than strictly going after Al Qaeda. I do not buy your theory about the failure of special forces. Even if the special forces failed, it would not have taken eight years to find Osama Bin Laden and still they are not successful. The U.S intended to stay long in this region and I have said this many times; the U.S. is not withdrawing from Afghanistan in the near future. The U.S took revenge of three thousand people killed on 9/11 but Iraqis and Afghans will seek revenge from the U.S. of millions of lives lost. The children, women, boys, men everyone of every age group died. What about that?
> Death is like a magnet which attracts you. Similarly, the U.S. is going closer; day by day and month by month. Isn't it interesting to see the demise of several empires and super powers in last two hundred years? French, British, Ottoman, German, Soviet, Japan and now the U.S.
> Oh, we are still trying to live in peace!





Hi,

Saad, I am only talking about that group of special forces who's leader interviewed on Larry king live---he was at the mouth of the valley leading into tora bora from where OBL was escaping----they were about 30--50 special forces troops waiting for air support----.

The air support never showed up----what I am saying is that that group should have gone after OBL----laid their lives in defianc e to the orders and put the people incharge to shame---. If revenge was so big on their minds---that was the time to make the run---if they would have died---at least they would have died like men with honor----.

Now---for the rest of their lives---they will rue the moment of their failure.


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## SpArK




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## SpArK




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## SpArK

*Not just $1tn, Afghan ores worth $3tn, says minister*

KABUL: Afghanistans untapped mineral wealth is worth at least $3 trillion  triple a US estimate, according to the governments top mining official, who is going to Britain next week to attract investors to mine one of the worlds largest iron ore deposits in the war-torn nation. 

Geologists have known for decades that Afghanistan has vast deposits of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and other prized minerals, but a US department of defense briefing this week put a startling, nearly $1 trillion price tag on the reserves. minister of mines Wahidullah Shahrani said on Thursday that hes seen geological assessments and industry estimates that the minerals are worth at least $3 trillion. 

Afghanistan has huge untapped natural energy and mineral resources which have enormous potential for our economic development, Shahrani said. Ensuring that this is done in the most transparent and efficient way while delivering the greatest value to the country is a priority of the government. 

Shahrani said mineral and hydrocarbon laws have been updated to meet international standards and efforts are being made to prevent possible corruption in the awarding of contracts.


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## Nahraf

BENNY said:


> *Not just $1tn, Afghan ores worth $3tn, says minister*
> 
> KABUL: Afghanistans untapped mineral wealth is worth at least $3 trillion  triple a US estimate, according to the governments top mining official, who is going to Britain next week to attract investors to mine one of the worlds largest iron ore deposits in the war-torn nation.



It was $1 trillion to start and now $3 trillion and next month may be $9 trillion as it has tripled in one week.



iajdani said:


> Keep dreaming guys.. for my entire life I been hearing that Africa is rich in mineral resources too...



Good point.


----------



## GUNNER

TOKYO, June 18, 2010 (AFP) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai launched a sales pitch on Friday for his war-torn country's rich mineral resources, calling for major aid donor Japan to invest in mines.

Karzai also said he was planning to meet with representatives of Japan's major trading house Mitsubishi Corp. later in the day to discuss possible future exploitation of the deposits.

Afghanistan's mining minister said Thursday that mineral deposits in his country could be worth up to three trillion dollars, tripling a US estimate which emerged earlier this week.

The results of the US geological survey said Afghanistan had huge reserves of lithium, iron, copper, gold, mercury, cobalt and other minerals potentially worth nearly one trillion dollars.

"So the prospects of Afghanistan is massively great and good," Karzai said. "Whereas Saudi Arabia is the oil capital of the world, Afghanistan will be the lithium capital of the world.

"And Japan is welcome to participate in the lithium exploration in Afghanistan," he said of the material used in batteries for a range of electronic devices.

*"Morally, Afghanistan should give access as a priority to those countries that have helped Afghanistan massively in the past few years*," he said on the latest day of a visit to Afghanistan's biggest donor after the United States.

Japan last year pledged up to five billion dollars in aid by 2013 to rebuild the impoverished country, where US-led and then multinational forces have been battling Taliban insurgents since late 2001.

Karzai -- on his first visit to Tokyo since he started his second term in November after an election widely criticised for vote-rigging -- thanked new Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Thursday for Japan's support.

Kan however reminded Karzai of the need for better governance in his corruption-riddled nation, saying the aid must "be used to the benefit of the Afghan people and to achieve global peace."

Asked how to rebuild security in Afghanistan, Karzai said he is working to build up "Afghan forces, Afghan police and continue to fight extremism."

He also said another approach was engaging "grassroots Taliban" fighters who are not hardcore members of extremist groups, to encourage them to lay down their arms and return to civil society.


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