Taliban Signs $89 Million Contract for Takhār Gold Mining
The Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has announced the signing of a contract for the extraction of placer gold deposits in Shol Dara and Warchi areas of Chah Ab district in Takhār province, with a total investment exceeding $89 million by a private company. According to the published information, the contract was signed between this ministry and Abdul Hamid Faizi Mining and Processing Company for a duration of ten years.
The ministry stated on its Facebook page that the value of each of the two mines included in the contract was set at $44.532 million. Mullah Hidayatullah Badri, the Taliban-appointed Minister of Mines and Petroleum, said at the signing ceremony that these projects will operate with a 40 percent royalty rate benefiting the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
He added that the contracted company is obliged to conduct all extraction and processing activities in accordance with the Mining Law, procedures, and commitments stipulated in the contract. The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum also noted that, in addition to paying royalties, the company will allocate $2 million for social service projects in the relevant areas and must comply with environmental commitments.
Officials anticipate that once the project begins, it will directly provide employment for approximately 3,000 people and indirectly create jobs for another 4,000 individuals.
However, no additional details have been provided regarding oversight of the extraction process, ensuring financial transparency, or the actual share of local residents from the mines’ revenues. In recent years, the manner in which large mining contracts have been awarded by the Taliban administration has consistently raised questions about transparency, accountability, and the use of the revenues generated.
