1 Trillion in Rare Minerals Found Under Afghanistan, Despite the fact that Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, this country, perhaps sitting on one of the richest treasures of minerals in the world, according to various estimates are estimated at $ 1 trillion.
Afghanistan - a very small country, rich in minerals, has been postponed as a result of ill-collision of the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Geological Survey of the United States began checking for the presence of minerals in Afghanistan after the American military forces deprived the Taliban government in the country in 2004. As it turned out, the service kept the Soviet geological maps and reports of 50 years or more.
In 2006, American researchers examined the airspace over Afghanistan for the compilation of magnetic, gravity and hyperspectral maps. Magnetic studies revealed iron minerals at a distance of 10 kilometers below the surface, and gravity studies have attempted to identify potential pools filled with oil and gas. Hyperspectral experiments showed the spectrum of light reflected from the rock to determine a unique signature for each mineral. More than 70% of the country has been mapped in only 2 months.
Studies have confirmed all the main Soviet findings. In Afghanistan may be 60 million tons of copper, 2.2 million tons of iron ore, 1.4 million tons of rare earth elements - lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, - as well as deposits of aluminum, gold, silver, zinc, mercury and lithium. Only deposition carbonatite Haneshin in Afghanistan's Helmand province is estimated at 89 billion dollars.
"Afghanistan - a country that is very, very rich in mineral resources, - writes Discovery, said Jack Medlin, a geologist and program manager for the USGS in Afghanistan. - We found at least 24 world-class mineral deposits. "
The Task Force estimated the mineral resources of Afghanistan in 908 billion dollars, while the Afghan government estimates the cost at $ 3 trillion. In recent years, many of the assays carried out group, which entrusted the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Assessments of mineral resources in Afghanistan is a challenge. Obviously, the pre-planning simply does not work in a country where you can not just go somewhere and do something. Should carefully consider the security conditions and can not be on the ground too long to get samples.
In any case, the value of mineral deposits in Afghanistan could seriously raise the political interest of the world's leading countries.
