Stories
Gold Mine Collapse Kills 5 in Afghanistan; Reveals Nation's Trillion-Dollar Mineral Wealth.
- •Five laborers died in a gold mine collapse in Afghanistan's Takhar province, drawing attention to the country's vast mineral reserves.
- •The Taliban administration is expanding the mining sector to boost revenue and employment since returning to power in 2021.
- •Afghanistan holds certified gold reserves of approximately 2.7 tons (2,698 kilograms), actively being extracted by the Taliban.
- •Major gold reserves are found in Badakhshan, Takhar, and Ghazni provinces, where mining activities are intensifying.
- •Beyond gold, Afghanistan possesses over a trillion dollars (95 lakh crore rupees) in minerals, including iron, copper, cobalt, and potentially the world's largest lithium reserves.
Key Questions Answered
Afghanistan has certified gold reserves of approximately 2.7 tons (about 2,698 kilograms), alongside government monetary gold reserves of 21.87 metric tons. Excavation is actively underway in regions such as Badakhshan Province, the Chah Ab district in Takhar Province, and the Zarkashan area in Ghazni Province.
A survey by US military officials and the USGS revealed that natural minerals worth over one trillion dollars are buried in Afghanistan. This includes vast deposits of iron, copper, cobalt, lead, zinc, coal, precious gemstones, and potentially the world's largest lithium reserves.
Intensive mining has polluted local rivers, contaminated drinking water, destroyed green crops, and caused serious fodder shortages for livestock in northeastern Badakhshan. Furthermore, a lack of safety standards has led to tragic mine collapses, such as one in Takhar province that claimed the lives of five laborers.
