Taliban signs $38 million talc mining deal in Nangarhar
The Taliban-run Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has announced the signing of a 15-year contract for the extraction and processing of a talc mine in Nangarhar. The investment in the deal is reported at more than $38.7 million.
The contract area is located in the Wuch Bandar area of Achin district in Nangarhar and covers about 3.93 square kilometres. The agreement was signed by Mullah Hedayatullah Badri, the Taliban administration’s acting minister of mines and petroleum, with one of the companies active in the mining sector.
However, the rise in unregulated mining since the Taliban’s return to power has raised significant concerns. The trend has not only damaged the environment, but has also led to repeated clashes between Taliban fighters and some local residents over mineral resources.
Talc, which is used in the production of industrial goods such as cosmetics, paper and paint, is regarded as one of the country’s important mineral resources. But without oversight and compliance with standard requirements, its extraction can have negative economic and social consequences for people living in surrounding areas.
While the Taliban says it is committed to developing the country’s mines, the increase in indiscriminate extraction and disputes over mineral sites points to weak management of natural resources and harmful consequences for local people.
