20 Apr 2021 - 09:24
JALALABAD (Pajwhok): Pajhwok Afghan News findings show the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) has temporarily allowed transfer of slate stones in Nangarhar province after around a year-long suspension of the process.
Owners of companies and factories involved in slate stones extraction and process have rejected the MoMP decision and said that the move could harm investors and traders and thousands of people working in the industry would lose their jobs.
In March 2020, National Procurement Commission in a meeting cancelled slate stones contracts with companies and stopped processing and transporting of the stones.
Mohammad Aziz Gharwal, spokesman of MoMP, told Pajhwok Afghan News that 23 areas containing slate stones were awarded to the private sector between 2012 and 2017.
6 Apr 2021 - 11:18
KABUL (Pajhwok): The mining contracts of Balkhab copper reserve in Sar-i-Pul province and a gold mine in Badakhshan province have been twice signed and revoked in the past eight years and once delayed due to the conflict of interest.
The Balkhab
copper reserve in Balkhab district is considered to be the world’s largest natural reservoir of copper while the
Badakhshan Wikado gold reserve is situated in Ragh district. The mine is 200 metres wide and 350 metres long.
According to
reports, a draft strategy of Balkhab copper mine and Badakhshan gold mine was finalized back in 2013. It was sent to the Council of Ministers meeting in 2014 for approval. But in 2014 after the inception of National Unity government, a debate began on conflict of interest and lack of capacity in the Ministry of Mining and Petroleum.
$1 billion worth of precious stones smuggled out of the country annually ariananews.af - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ariananews.af Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.