Gold reserves, precious stones, and minerals: Where are Pakistan's 'trillion-dollar' resources hidden?
Pakistan's resources: In the dry and dusty Chagai region of Pakistan's Balochistan province, some of the world's most valuable mineral resources are hidden. These include large amounts of copper and gold.
Pakistan's political and military leaders believe these resources can attract billions of dollars in investment. After the discoveries at Reko Diq and Saindak, there are now new claims of more mineral findings in Chagai. A private company, National Resources Limited (NRL), which has the contract for mineral exploration in Chagai, says they have found new reserves of gold and copper in the area.
At the 'Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025' held last week, NRL shared that signs of minerals have been found in the 'Tang Ghor' area of Chagai. NRL's head, Muhammad Ali Tabba, said international experts and investors will also join this big project.
During the same event, Mari Energies claimed they discovered new gas and oil reserves in North Waziristan, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to them, this is the fourth discovery in that area. In testing, it produced 70 million cubic feet of gas and 310 barrels of condensate daily.
Over the two-day conference, Pakistani and Turkish state companies signed an agreement to work together for offshore oil and gas exploration. Under this agreement, Pakistan's Mari Energies, OGDCL, and PPL will work with Turkey's state company to explore the sea areas. Officials say these resources stayed untapped because of administrative problems, security issues, and lack of focus by political leaders.
However, last week, the government once again promised to use these resources to boost Pakistan's economy.
The 'Minerals Conference' in Islamabad saw participation from over twenty countries, including the US, China, and Saudi Arabia. Investors and delegates attended to explore Pakistan's mineral sector, which the government is calling a 'trillion-dollar sector'. The aim of the conference was to present Pakistan as an important global player, especially in critical minerals.
Senior government and military leaders called the conference a 'milestone' for the economy.
But critics say that this is not the first time Pakistan has promised to turn 'stones into gold'.
Before discussing if these promises will happen, it's important to understand what minerals Pakistan has and where they are found.
Where are minerals found in Pakistan?
Pakistan divides minerals into different categories. Strategic minerals include copper, gold, lithium, rare earth minerals, and chromite.
These are used in electronics, defense, and green technology, making them highly valuable for security and investment.
Energy minerals like coal and uranium are important for electricity and nuclear programs.
Industrial minerals such as salt, limestone, gypsum, and barite are needed for construction and farming. Precious stones are small but valuable and help earn money from exports.
Balochistan: The mineral hub
Balochistan, though troubled, holds large and important mineral resources, because of this, it is often called 'Pakistan's mineral center'.
In the 1970s, the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) discovered copper and gold at Reko Diq and Saindak. Several decades ago, GSP also found signs of gold reserves in Chagai. However, the project got stuck because of legal and economic problems. Now, under Canadian company Barrick Gold's leadership, work has started again to extract minerals from the area.
In late 2022, a new agreement was signed. Under it, the Balochistan government will have a 25% share, the federal government 25%, and Barrick Gold 50%. Barrick Gold promised to invest in the project and start production by the end of this decade. Officials now hope that production will start by 2028.
According to local media, Saudi company Manara Minerals may also invest here. Barrick Gold's CEO, Mark Bristow, said that after the second phase of Reko Diq is complete, the site could produce 400,000 tons of copper every year. He also said the growing global need for copper, for electric vehicles, green energy, and electricity, can bring great economic benefits to Pakistan.
The Saindak project, which started after copper and gold were discovered there in 1973, was Pakistan's first major mining project. It is estimated that Saindak has several hundred million tons of raw material. A Chinese company currently operates the project. Balochistan not only has copper and gold but also many other minerals.
In the Muslim Bagh region of Qila Saifullah, chromite has been mined for centuries. Chromite is important for making stainless steel. Recently, claims have been made about the presence of lithium and rare earth minerals in Chagai and Khuzdar. The government considers these minerals critical for the future.
In the 1960s, GSP found large reserves of barite in Khuzdar. Barite is used in oil and gas drilling. The same rock formations also have fluorite deposits near Kalat and Mastung.
In Lasbela, Pakistan's first modern lead and zinc mine is located, discovered by GSP and developed with Chinese support. Coal is also found in Sore Range-Degari, Dukki, Mach, and Khost areas of Balochistan. Though these coal reserves are smaller and less powerful than those in Punjab and Sindh, they have supported local industries and railways for decades. They also provide jobs to thousands of workers.
However, many local people complain that they do not get a fair share of the wealth and accuse the authorities of hiding details about the projects. These complaints have led to unrest and anger in Balochistan.
Precious stones in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
At the minerals conference held last year, the government also claimed that large reserves of gas and minerals have been found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mining is expected to start soon. However, a new 'Mines and Minerals Bill' about this province created controversy. A scheduled briefing on the bill was postponed on the orders of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Both the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and opposition parties have raised concerns about this bill. Swat, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is famous around the world for its emeralds. These beautiful green stones are highly valued in jewelry. Even today, locals search the riverbeds to find shining emeralds.
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