SIGAR: China seeks access to Afghanistan’s mines

The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has announced that Chinese mining companies are seeking access to Afghanistan’s copper and lithium ores.

SIGAR tweeted that Chinese mining industry representatives had discussed the mining rights and research access to such minerals with the Taliban.

“Chinese mining companies are looking for opportunities to access Afghanistan’s lithium and copper,” SIGAR said. “Representatives of China’s mining industry have spoken to Taliban officials to find and search for such minerals.”

However, the Ministry of Mines of the Taliban, while stating that the extraction of lithium ores is not currently in the ministry’s plan, announced that the process of mining the Aynak Logar copper mine by the Chinese company will begin next spring.