MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Afghanistan future formidable competitor of Chile in copper and lithium

The Western presence in Afghanistan could be longer than expected

Nearly one trillion US dollars of untapped mineral resources have been found in Afghanistan by US officials, including iron, copper, cobalt, gold, and lithium.

Considering the necessity for these minerals in today’s global market, Afghanistan could become one of the most important players in the international mining game.

Although the country is mostly tribal in nature and has been plagued by invasions by Russia and the United States, its mining potential is huge. Afghanistan’s current economy is largely based on the production of opium and drugs trafficking – with humanitarian contributions from industrialized nations.

The country’s current GDP of 12 billion USD would be boosted considerably by the development of a mining industry.

The development of a mining industry in Afghanistan however could mean competition for Chile.

As well as being the world’s top copper producer, Chile currently has the largest developed lithium industry in the world. The lithium reserves in Chile are some of the largest and most accessible in the world, found in the brines underneath the Atacama Salt Flats in the country’s north.

Still, it is expected to take decades for Afghanistan to be able to fully exploit its mineral wealth, due to lack of development.

By Alia Alhafny – Santiago Times