Afghanistan’s mineral resources laid bare
A mineral assessment milestone confirms world-class resources
Each donning about 10 kilograms of protective gear, including helmets and Kevlar, scientists trudged up the rugged, rocky volcanic terrain of southern Afghanistan, slowing now and then to catch an extra breath of thin air. Some carried guns. Others carried rock hammers.
The trek from the helicopter and up a volcano in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province confirmed the presence of an estimated 1 million metric tons of rare earth elements, previously mapped by airborne hyperspectral imaging. Farther north, similar expeditions assessed other mineral resources, notably gold, iron and copper, described in reports issued in September 2011 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The detailed depiction of what USGS calls “world-class resources” gives the Afghan government a tool that could help reshape the country’s war-torn landscape.
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