Commercial drill rigs are a rare sight in
Afghanistan.
Problems affecting the country's infrastructure
and instability have left mining projects
in their infancy, but Afghanistan is a geological
treasure trove.
"There is a working gold mine in Baghlan at
the moment and in Sheberghan we've got gas
and petrol.
The north of Afghanistan has lots of mining
opportunities.
In Jegdalek there are gemstones and in Mes
Aynak there is copper, iron and chromium and
other valuable minerals."
These drillers and geologists are among the
first cohort of trainees from the Afghanistan
Geological Survey being taught by the US Dod
Task Force for Business and Stability Operations.
The students are gaining the skills they need
to explore and exploit the country's resources,
by training in modern explorative techniques.
The next step for these drillers will be to
push out into the country's mountains.
"My hope is that security will improve still,
because there is still some insecurity in
some of Afghanistan's provinces.
If the security improves, we will be able
to go freely everywhere in Afghanistan to
conduct our surveys."
And if Afghanistan's security does improve,
the Afghan government will be first in line
to exploit the nearly 3 trillion dollars of
resources lying in its hills and mountains.
It's hoped that the mining sector could become
one of the Afghan economy's strongest assets.
"There has effectively been a hiatus of exploration
activity in Afghanistan largely on account
of the security issues, for perhaps around
20 to 25 years.
The Russians in the mid-1970s did a considerable
amount of work, but after the invasion and
through the eighties, nineties and now in
the first part of the century there hasn't
been that much work done.
So therefore within the donor community there
has been a great push to provide technical
expertise to build capacity within the Afghan
Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and within
the Afghan Geological Survey to help the Afghans
help themselves and to develop their mineral
resources and to exploit those resources for
profit."
Afghanistan's Geological Survey team will
have an opportunity to play a vital part in
their country's economy.
Much hinges on a long-awaited mining law to
be passed ensuring the country's resources
are fairly and legally exploited.
For the NATO Channel in Parwan, this is Joe
Sheffer.
