Miscellaneous

BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): Initial surveys have found large deposits of several high quality natural resources in central Bamyan province, which, if extracted, could generate work opportunities for thousands of people and increase government’s income.

One of the surveys conducted by Bamyan Mines Department shows several deposits of iron, copper, aluminum and precious and semi-precious stones exist in the province.

The survey also finds a mine containing decoration stones of different kinds.

PUL-I-ALAM/KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday paid a surprise visit to central Logar province and terminated contracts with two foreign mining companies involved in extraction of chromite, the acting governor said.

Niaz Mohammad Amiri said the president arrived on an unannounced visit and inspected the Mes Aynak copper reservoirs. He said the president scrapped contracts with the two foreign firms, but he had no idea why.

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Despite insecurity, four mines of lead, zinc and talc have been put on offer to launch their survey and extraction in southern Kandahar province, an official says.

During an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Mines Director Eng. Khan Aqa Tarakhel said previous and latest surveys showed 30 different kinds of minerals existed in the province’s more than 17 areas. 

These minerals include fluorite, chromite, iron, gold, copper, marbles, talc, zinc, sulfur, kunzite, coal, stucco, gemstones and others.

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The recent spike of insecurity has resulted in increased illegal mining in various parts of eastern Nangarhar province, residents and officials confirmed.

They fear if the tide of insecurity is not reversed, the time is not far when all mines in Nangarhar will be plundered.

A tribal elder in the Sherzad district, Haji Mir Mohammad, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Taliban insurgents held away in most parts of the town, where residents dug up mines without government’s permission.

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Due to its high quality, people in the eastern zones prefer the marbles of eastern Nangarhar province over Pakistani marbles, factory owners said on Tuesday.

Nangarhar and Kunar provinces are known for high quality of natural reservoirs of marbles. The excavation of marbles was underway in most of the mines of the two provinces, the businessmen said.

In addition, several marble processing factories had been established in Nangarhar that produces and designs marbles in beautiful shapes.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some analysts criticise latest amendments to one of the mining law’s articles by the Wolesi Jirga, believing it would increase corruption in contracts.

The amendment to Article 29 of the law allows a mining contract to change hands in principal.

The new mining bill was signed into law by then President Hamid Karzai in late April after being endorsed by parliament after a long delay.

However, the government once again tabled the law in parliament with some amendments in November.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Mining sector experts and geologists believe that formal training arrangements for labors working on mine sector will help reduce human losses, bolster production of minerals and excavate the resources in a professional way.

The experts criticized what they called poor supervision of Ministry of Mines and Petroleum on mining operations. They noted Afghanistan would be self-sufficient economically if the ministry introduces tangible reforms for the vital sector.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan, China, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have agreed to complete a preliminary study of a regional railroad network over the next 18 months, an official said on Tuesday.

 Acting Public Work Minister Noor Gul Mangal told journalists in Kabul representatives of the five countries inked an agreement in Dushanbe last week on technical and economic feasibility of the project.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Lecturers and students of Geology Faculty have demanded authority to replace the old books written in Russian language with updated versions in English and renew the three decades back curriculum.

KABUL (Pajhwok): A large number of people in the country are forced to use imported cement because domestic production cannot meet the gap between demand and production.

However, the large scale import of cement does not only reduce its domestic products but it raised concerns that cement exporting countries are likely behind decrease of its domestic production.