GlobalVillageSpace
Media Partner
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2017
- Messages
- 993
- Reaction score
- 1
- Country
- Location
What Pakistan needs to develop its mining sector
Global Village Space |
Dr. Farid A. Malik |
After reading two articles on the development of Chiniot minerals, I was motivated to write this note. Ansar Abbasi’s article appeared on April 14, 20, 7 titled, “Chiniot – from a dream treasure trove to steel mills promise” followed by Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan’s write up on Chiniot minerals: “Sifting fact from fiction” in the Nation on April 29, 2017. As I have been involved in all the major mining projects of the country, I consider it my national duty to present my professional viewpoint. The bottom line is that the country has no large scale commercial mining experience, which is why quackery prevails. Even nuclear scientists have joined the bandwagon for personal glory and benefits.
Chiniot/Rajoa is undoubtedly the best iron ore deposit of the country with total iron contents in the range of 63 to 65 percent.
In April 2014, a Chinese company was awarded a contract for Geophysical Surveys, Drilling and Modeling to estimate the iron ore and other precious metallic minerals at the Chiniot/Rajoa deposit. It was a two-year contract. Even before the completion of the report, a grand show was organized in 2015 at the site in which tall claims were made. It was hailed as a game changer for the development of the mining sector of the country. As expected, no such bonanza has been achieved; it proved to be an over-projected hoax.
Read more: Pakistan’s strong economic performance? Questionable
Chiniot/Rajoa is undoubtedly the best iron ore deposit of the country with total iron contents in the range of 63 to 65 percent. An up-country steel mill of one million ton per annum capacity can be established here once the mining starts. The real challenge is in the extraction, not the processing of this high-grade deposit. Credible local steel making companies are willing to procure this ore provided availability of ore is guaranteed through large-scale commercial mining. Newspaper articles and TV shows cannot produce the desired results.
Where did we go wrong…
Punjab Mineral Development Corporation (Punjmin) was created for this purpose. During 1996–99, under a PC-II scheme, a detailed exploration work on Iron ore deposits of Chiniot was carried out. A report published a report titled; “Prospective project on Chiniot & Rajoa Iron Ore deposits” in which a joint venture offer was made for prospective investors was also published. There was no need to create new organizations like the Punjab Coal Mining Company or Punjab Mining Company. PUNJMIN should have been tasked to develop mining operations at selected sites to initiate large-scale commercial mining in the province.
Despite local steel requirements of 5 million tons per annum, Pakistan was unable to produce this basic building block of the nation.
The Kalabagh Iron Ore deposits are the oldest, largest and the most researched discovery of the country (450 million tons). In the fifties, Krupp Renn process of Germany was used to produce iron. A pilot plant was also established by Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC). As the iron contents were low (around 32%) with high silica (around 22%), the energy requirements were high.
Read full article:
What Pakistan needs to develop its mining sector
Global Village Space |
Dr. Farid A. Malik |
After reading two articles on the development of Chiniot minerals, I was motivated to write this note. Ansar Abbasi’s article appeared on April 14, 20, 7 titled, “Chiniot – from a dream treasure trove to steel mills promise” followed by Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan’s write up on Chiniot minerals: “Sifting fact from fiction” in the Nation on April 29, 2017. As I have been involved in all the major mining projects of the country, I consider it my national duty to present my professional viewpoint. The bottom line is that the country has no large scale commercial mining experience, which is why quackery prevails. Even nuclear scientists have joined the bandwagon for personal glory and benefits.
Chiniot/Rajoa is undoubtedly the best iron ore deposit of the country with total iron contents in the range of 63 to 65 percent.
In April 2014, a Chinese company was awarded a contract for Geophysical Surveys, Drilling and Modeling to estimate the iron ore and other precious metallic minerals at the Chiniot/Rajoa deposit. It was a two-year contract. Even before the completion of the report, a grand show was organized in 2015 at the site in which tall claims were made. It was hailed as a game changer for the development of the mining sector of the country. As expected, no such bonanza has been achieved; it proved to be an over-projected hoax.
Read more: Pakistan’s strong economic performance? Questionable
Chiniot/Rajoa is undoubtedly the best iron ore deposit of the country with total iron contents in the range of 63 to 65 percent. An up-country steel mill of one million ton per annum capacity can be established here once the mining starts. The real challenge is in the extraction, not the processing of this high-grade deposit. Credible local steel making companies are willing to procure this ore provided availability of ore is guaranteed through large-scale commercial mining. Newspaper articles and TV shows cannot produce the desired results.
Where did we go wrong…
Punjab Mineral Development Corporation (Punjmin) was created for this purpose. During 1996–99, under a PC-II scheme, a detailed exploration work on Iron ore deposits of Chiniot was carried out. A report published a report titled; “Prospective project on Chiniot & Rajoa Iron Ore deposits” in which a joint venture offer was made for prospective investors was also published. There was no need to create new organizations like the Punjab Coal Mining Company or Punjab Mining Company. PUNJMIN should have been tasked to develop mining operations at selected sites to initiate large-scale commercial mining in the province.
Despite local steel requirements of 5 million tons per annum, Pakistan was unable to produce this basic building block of the nation.
The Kalabagh Iron Ore deposits are the oldest, largest and the most researched discovery of the country (450 million tons). In the fifties, Krupp Renn process of Germany was used to produce iron. A pilot plant was also established by Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC). As the iron contents were low (around 32%) with high silica (around 22%), the energy requirements were high.
Read full article:
What Pakistan needs to develop its mining sector
