Taliban Signs $10.2 Million Salt Mining Contract in Herat
The Taliban’s Ministry of Minerals and Petroleum has announced the signing of a $10.2 million contract for the extraction of salt from the third block of the salt mine in the Ghurian district of Herat province. The agreement was signed on Tuesday between Mawlawi Abdulrahman Qanat, Deputy of Policy and Programs at the ministry, and the company “Obaid Ayub Noori Limited.”
Homayoun Afghan, the ministry’s spokesperson, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page that the contract is set for a duration of 15 years with a royalty of 1,500 Afghanis per ton of salt. According to him, the contracted company is obliged to carry out its operations in accordance with mining laws, relevant regulations, and the commitments outlined in the contract.
According to released information, in addition to paying royalties, the company is also responsible for fulfilling its social service obligations and environmental protection duties. However, the Taliban administration has not provided further details regarding the monitoring mechanism, transparency of the contract process, or how these commitments will be guaranteed in practice—issues that have long been questioned by economic activists and local residents in recent years.
The Ministry of Minerals and Petroleum stated that this project will create employment opportunities for approximately 125 people. The Ghurian salt mine is considered one of the important mineral resources in western Afghanistan, and transparent management and exploitation of this resource could play a decisive role in the local economy of the district.
