GSI starts studies to map Afghanistan’s mineral resources
Iran has begun studies to identify Afghanistan’s mineral resources and establish a database of the country’s deposits, the head of Iran’s Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration Organization (GSI) said on Sunday.
Afghanistan is one of the target countries for mineral studies and could in the future supply part of the raw materials needed by Iranian industries, said Mahmoud Fatemi Aqda, who also serves as deputy minister of Industry, Mine and Trade, according to ILNA.
Plans to expand mineral cooperation within the framework of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) are also being pursued, given the region’s potential, he added.
Iran has about 35 of the 114 known mineral types worldwide, Fatemi Aqda said, adding that this potential could play an important role in developing the mining sector, creating wealth and moving toward a non-oil economy.
Despite this potential, the extent of exploration carried out in Iran remains below the country’s actual capacity, he acknowledged, noting that the value of mineral reserves discovered in recent years showed a significant share remained unexplored.
“To make the most of the mining sector’s potential, we need to expand exploration and attract new investment. At the same time, we should move toward a more participatory approach, drawing on the experience of developed countries,” he said.
“We must create the conditions for the effective participation of the private sector in producing basic geological data and carrying out exploration projects.”
He said about 66 exploration projects had been defined as part of the effort.
“In the first stage, we will try, by implementing these projects accurately and systematically, to encourage greater private-sector participation in exploration and direct existing capital in parallel markets toward producing basic data and mineral exploration,” Fatemi Aqda said.