The Taliban-run Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said Thursday that it has signed 203 small- and large-scale mining contracts over the past four years, with a combined value exceeding $250 million.
Presenting their annual report, Taliban officials from the mines ministry said they had signed 175 small-scale mining contracts over the past four years, attracting approximately 10 billion afghanis (about $145 million).
In the same period, 28 larger-scale agreements for gold, copper, lead, and iron ore — totaling 7.5 billion afghanis (roughly $110 million) — have also been finalized.
They emphasized that mining activity is carried out under strict regulatory frameworks and noted ongoing cooperation with Turkish, Qatari, Iranian, and Chinese firms, while negotiations continue with Uzbek companies. They stressed that although numerous large Afghan mines have been leased to private, notably Chinese, enterprises in recent years, the only active Chinese contract currently is for the Aynak copper project.
Hisamuddin Sabri, Taliban’s deputy finance and administration minister, said mining is a “core component of our economic strategy.” But independent experts say the contracts are ambiguous and could expose the country to exploitation.
“Contracts should clearly define start times, responsibilities, and government enforcement,” said economist Syed Masoud Aqa. “Without solid frameworks, these deals — especially with foreign companies — can be problematic.”
Bhram Ramesh, another economic analyst, warned that “in the absence of transparent laws and effective oversight, these contracts with foreign firms, including Chinese ones, could be controversial. Mining only benefits Afghanistan if done transparently, equitably, and in the national interest.”
Afghanistan also has five recognized oil fields. The ministry said the contract for oil extraction in the Amu Darya basin, previously assigned to a Chinese company, has since been terminated. Nonetheless, they said, extraction of gold, precious stones, copper, lead, iron, and other minerals continues under active agreements.
At the same event, the Taliban-run national broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), muted the voices of two women journalists during the live broadcast as they posed questions to Taliban officials. The move comes amid the Taliban’s enforcement of a morality law enacted last year, which deems women’s voices to be inappropriate for public broadcast.
