Afghanistan: China's Winning Bid For Copper Rights Includes Power Plant, Railroad
By Ron Synovitz November 24, 2007 (RFE/RL)
Article Link
Afghanistan has awarded a state-owned company in China with the right to develop a large copper field to the south of Kabul, following two years of bidding.
China Metallurgical Group agreed to invest billions of dollars in the project and related infrastructure development -- including the construction of a coal-fired electrical power plant and what would be Afghanistan's first freight railway.
By the estimates of some geologists, deposits at Afghanistan's Aynak copper field in Logar Province make it the world's largest undeveloped copper field.
The deal gives China Metallurgical Group the right to extract high-quality copper from the area south of Kabul.
Developing Infrastructure
But the Aynak copper field has neither the electrical power nor access to the transportation links needed to fully develop the area as a copper mine.
Afghan Mining Minister Ibrahim Adel says the Chinese company has agreed to invest nearly $3 billion in order to set up mining operations and overcome the lack of basic infrastructure.
More on link
By Ron Synovitz November 24, 2007 (RFE/RL)
Article Link
Afghanistan has awarded a state-owned company in China with the right to develop a large copper field to the south of Kabul, following two years of bidding.
China Metallurgical Group agreed to invest billions of dollars in the project and related infrastructure development -- including the construction of a coal-fired electrical power plant and what would be Afghanistan's first freight railway.
By the estimates of some geologists, deposits at Afghanistan's Aynak copper field in Logar Province make it the world's largest undeveloped copper field.
The deal gives China Metallurgical Group the right to extract high-quality copper from the area south of Kabul.
Developing Infrastructure
But the Aynak copper field has neither the electrical power nor access to the transportation links needed to fully develop the area as a copper mine.
Afghan Mining Minister Ibrahim Adel says the Chinese company has agreed to invest nearly $3 billion in order to set up mining operations and overcome the lack of basic infrastructure.
More on link