Apart from widespread existence of precious and semi-precious stones in Afghanistan, the country is bestowed with prevalent gold reservoirs, which--- if properly excavated and utilized--- would usher an era of economic prosperity and development in the war-battered country.
The natural gold assets in Afghanistan can be found in two forms: Gold in pieces exists in different shapes while gold in sediment forms are collect by people from the rivers’ sides and sand.
Experts found gold in two categories on the basis of its yellow and white colours. It merits mention that goldsmiths do not use pure gold while making jewelry. They mix copper and other metals in making gold jewelry.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum finds the following gold reservoirs in Afghanistan.
Wikador and Ragh gold mine in Badakhshan province, Chaab, Nuraba, Samti, Hisar and Anjir gold mines in Takhar province, Zarakshan gold mine in Ghazni province, the Hisarak gold mine in Logar province, the Kundulan gold mine in Zabul province and the Garazgan gold mine in Baghlan province.
- The Wikador gold mine:
This mine is situated 50 kilometres north of Faizabad City, the capital f northern Badakhshan province. The mine is two meters wide and 350 meters long having high quality of gold. However, official survey of the mine could not be conducted so far.
- The Samti gold mine:
This gold mine is located in the Chaab district of northern Takhar province. The site is said to be 1,700 meters wide and 8,000 meters long with an estimated 12 to 24 tons of gold reserves in the mine. A local company has been awarded a two years contract for the Samti gold mine’s excavation. The company is bound to pay 20 percent of the revenue to the government. Another part of the Samti mine called the “right side of the mine” which is 490 meters wide and 5,020 meters long.
Estimates show that 493 milligrams of gold exists in every cubic meter area of this mine. Similarly, the third part or central part of the Samti mine is 500 meters wide and 4,800 meters long with estimated 288 milligrams gold exists in every cubic meter area of this mine. The Nuraba gold mine is located close to the Samti gold reservoirs.
- The Nuraba gold mine:
This gold mine is situated ten kilometers to the north of Chaab district in Nuraba area in northern Takhar province. The total reserves of the mine have been estimated 260 tons out of which 580 kilograms are pure gold. The Nuraba gold mine was discovered back in 1987 by Russians. Its mining contract was awarded to one of the American Company which has been working in the site.
- The Zarakshan gold mine:
The Zarakshan gold mine is located in Maqur district of southern Ghazni province. The mine is stretched on 484 square kilometres area. It was discovered by Russian, German and American geologists between 1960 and 1972. The mine is said to have 7,500 kilograms of gold reserves.
- The Pashani gold mine:
This gold mine is located in northern Takhar province. It is eight meters wide and 1,700 meters long. The mine is divided into three parts: the central, right and outside parts. The right side of the mine is almost 500 meters wide and 5.2 kilometres long, with an estimated 493 milligrams of gold in every cubic meter area.
The central part of Pashani gold mine is 450 meters wide and 4.8 kilometres long with 288 milligrams of gold in every cubic meter area. While the third and outside part has been further divided in the right and left sides.
The left side area of this mine is 160 meters wide and 1.8 kilometres long and it has 258 milligrams of gold in every cubic meters area. The right side of the mine is 280 meters wide and 1.48 kilometres long. It has 375 milligrams of gold in every cubic meters area.
- The Qarazgan gold mine:
The Qarzgan gold mine is located 80 kilometres to the south of Dushi district in the northern Baghlan province. It was discovered by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum in 2004.
The contract of this mine worth $50 million had been awarded to one of the private sector company for three years. However, the amount of gold reserves inside the mine has yet to be identified.
