Afghanistan’s Elusive Mineral Wealth

Dec 7, 2015 | Elizabeth B. Hessami
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Afghanistan is blessed with a veritable horde of mineral wealth. In copper alone, Afghanistan may possess up to 60 million tons buried in its arid plains. From the days of the British Empire to the current day, these riches have remained, for the most part, firmly entrenched in the Afghan soil. There are many dangers involved in attempting to mine in Afghanistan which remains an active conflict zone. Transportation, governance, logistical, and environmental protection issues are all concerns for a potential mining company. Afghanistan has endured decades of armed conflict making many companies wary of operating in the nation due to ever-increasing security concerns.