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Afghanistan's Trillion-Dollar Treasure: Gold and Rare Minerals Fueling Economy Amidst Tragedies
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News18•04-10-2026, 12:38
Afghanistan's Trillion-Dollar Treasure: Gold and Rare Minerals Fueling Economy Amidst Tragedies
- •Five workers died after a gold mine collapsed in Afghanistan's Takhar province, drawing global attention to the country's deep gold deposits.
- •Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban administration has focused on increasing revenue from natural resources, aiming to boost government revenue and employment by expanding the mining sector.
- •Afghanistan has proven underground gold deposits of more than 2.7 tons (approximately 2,698 kilograms), and the Afghan government holds 21.87 metric tons of cash gold reserves.
- •Badakhshan, Takhar, and Ghazni provinces are major gold mining centers in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is rapidly mining to revive the economy.
- •A US Geological Survey (USGS) survey revealed that natural minerals worth over one trillion dollars (approximately 95 lakh crore rupees) are buried in Afghanistan, including vast deposits of iron, copper, cobalt, lead, zinc, coal, precious gems, and potentially the world's largest lithium reserves.
Key Questions Answered
Afghanistan has proven underground gold deposits of more than 2.7 tons, which is approximately 2,698 kilograms.
The three major gold-producing regions in Afghanistan are the Badakhshan Province, Takhar Province, and Ghazni Province.
Geologists estimate that Afghanistan may hold the world's largest deposits of lithium, which is essential for batteries as the world transitions to electric vehicles and green energy.
