Afghan boys ride on a bicycle in the old city of Ghazni, southwest of Kabul, in August 2007. The region that could be holding $1 trillion of untapped mineral deposits. (Reuters)
Everyone has been buzzing about the NY Times story that might mean a sea change in Afghanistan: The discovery of untapped mineral deposits that could turn the war-torn no man's land into one of the world’s biggest mining centers.
The potential trillion-dollar find includes "huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and lithium." The value of these deposits, says the Times, is "enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself."
Lithium, incidentally, is critical to producing modern devices like laptops and BlackBerrys. It could easily become the backbone of the Afghan economy (as opposed to opium cultivation).
But the discovery also presents problems: The Taliban is likely to redouble its efforts in the region, the money could simply worsen corruption and enrich Karzai's inner circle, and China may try to dominate development.
Something else smells wrong here. It's rather curious that the information on which this story is based is online and has been since 2007. In other words, this isn't exactly the sudden stroke of good luck it appears to be. And that's without considering the years and enormous capital investment it will take to begin mining.
Adding more rain to the parade, a January story in the Wall Street Journal, reported that "the Mines Ministry has long been considered among Afghanistan's most corrupt government departments." Ain't that the problem we sort of have over here with the Minerals Management Agency?
Comments
Anybody with any knowledge of geology knows that in an area as large and fractured as Afghanistan is, there is "something" somewhere.
You don't really think we came to Afghanistan just to watch the Russians, do you? The Taliban were merely in our way of this kind of exploration. 9/11, an excuse to capitalize on it.
When we start to follow the money trail, then we'll see who owns whom.
x
My opinion on keeping this a "secret" for so long was to sit on it for ammunition in the war. This announcement will bring out the kooks who needed a little motivation for showing themselves...amking them easier targets. I think this was a military coverup that they have been waiting for a good moment.
Let's face it,...things have slowed down there and we know their are pockets hidden everywhere. This will rile them up for sure,..making for more war, yes,..but wrapping it up just that much quicker.
THIS could be the thing that brings Afghanistan into the 19th century from the 16th century.
This could be the best thing that ever happened to Afghanistan.
Of course, they will have to build their very first railroad to get to and from the mines.
One of the few lands on earth without a railroad.
Good deal. We may have to borrow from them next.
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