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U.S. Discovers Est. $1 Trillion of Minerals in Afghanistan

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  • U.S. Discovers Est. $1 Trillion of Minerals in Afghanistan

    U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com

    WASHINGTON — The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

    The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

    An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.

    The vast scale of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.

    While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war.

  • #2
    The fact that mineral riches are only discovered in sh!tholes is the supreme irony of modern age.
    Those who know don't speak
    He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. Luke 22:36

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    • #3
      This has the potential to be a godsend for the Afghans, provided the Taliban doesn't take it over as soon as the US pulls out.
      Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

      Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Mihais View Post
        The fact that mineral riches are only discovered in sh!tholes is the supreme irony of modern age.
        Indeed.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
          This has the potential to be a godsend for the Afghans, provided the Taliban doesn't take it over as soon as the US pulls out.
          Maybe it will give Karzai and his cronies more incentive to fight...Better than poppies....
          "They want to test our feelings.They want to know whether Muslims are extremists or not. Death to them and their newspapers."

          Protester

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          • #6
            Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
            This has the potential to be a godsend for the Afghans, provided the Taliban doesn't take it over as soon as the US pulls out.
            While I do hope that this will help the Afghans, in the past such findings often only benefitted those with guns and no hesitation to use them on virtual anyone. I fear that the average Afghan will no see any benefits from these treasures.

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            • #7
              It's an interesting question, look at Saudi Arabia. Comparable amount of resources (if not more) and same population as Afghanistan; ~ 28-29,000,000 or so. In 2008 the World Bank listed Saudi Arabia as number 38 on their list of countries by GDP. Afghanistan is listed at 152. Granted, Saudi Arabia is not as violent as Afghanistan, but once again, there is great potential here.
              Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

              Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

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              • #8
                The daily lives of Afghans would not change in the least, probably will make things worse for them.
                To sit down with these men and deal with them as the representatives of an enlightened and civilized people is to deride ones own dignity and to invite the disaster of their treachery - General Matthew Ridgway

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                • #9
                  but Saudi Arabia was unified before the oil was discovered and the Sauds had a controll Karzai can only dream of. I fear that resources like those found in Afghanistan will harm the country more then it will do good as long as there is pretty much no government control.

                  So I do agree that there is potentional, I just dread that the Taliban & Warlords will be more effective at using it.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by bigross86 View Post
                    It's an interesting question, look at Saudi Arabia. Comparable amount of resources (if not more) and same population as Afghanistan; ~ 28-29,000,000 or so. In 2008 the World Bank listed Saudi Arabia as number 38 on their list of countries by GDP. Afghanistan is listed at 152. Granted, Saudi Arabia is not as violent as Afghanistan, but once again, there is great potential here.
                    Or, on the less cheery side of things, there's the example of the Congo.

                    I really hope this bodes well for Afghanistan but I also very much doubt it. I fear the best that can be hoped for is a Nigeria type situation where the mining companies operate under heavy guard with an on-going insurgency.

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                    • #11
                      Let me update my protest sign to "NO BLOOD FOR MINERAL!"
                      "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Mihais View Post
                        The fact that mineral riches are only discovered in sh!tholes is the supreme irony of modern age.
                        Haha, true true.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by troung View Post
                          The daily lives of Afghans would not change in the least, probably will make things worse for them.
                          Yes, but it might entice them to get out of the drug business.

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                          • #14
                            no, not really, what percentage of farmers can be converted into minders?
                            “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by xinhui View Post
                              no, not really, what percentage of farmers can be converted into minders?
                              What percent in China? (miners, not minders :)) )

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