Mining in Pakistan
Encyclopedia
Mining is an important industry in Pakistan
. Pakistan has deposits of several minerals including coal, copper, gold, chromite, mineral salt, bauxite and several other mierals. There are also a variety of precious and semi-precious minerals that are also mined. These include peridot, aquamarine, topaz, ruby, emerald, rare-earth minerals bastnaesite and xenotime, sphene, tourmaline, and many varieties and types of quartz.
The Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation
is the responsible authority for the support and development of the mining industry. Gemstones Corporation of Pakistan looks after the interests of stake holders in gem stone mining and polishing as an official entity. Baluchistan is the richest province in terms of mineral resources available in Pakistan. While recently Sindh
discovered
coal dposits in Thar. Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa is rich in terms of gems. Most of the mineral gems found in Pakistan exists here. Apart from oil, gas and some mineral used in nuclear energy purposes which comes directly under federal control mining of other minerals is provincial issue. Currently around 52 minerals, are mined and processed in Pakistan.
which is also named as black gold is found into huge quantities in Thar, Chamalang, Quetta and other sites. Thar reserves are estimated 850 Trillion Cubic Feet.
There is enough coal in Pakistan Thar area ( though a part of coal is not of good quality) that it can be used for power generation for next 100 years without relaying on other i.e. hydro / oil resources.
In March 2010, Engro Chemical announced that the group is investing huge amount of money to develop coal fields in Pakistan, however exact sum is unknown. The chemical company also announced to establish energy park in UET Lahore, and start research on In-Situ coal gasification and high pressure transport gasifier.
are among world oldest and biggest salt mines. Salt has
been mined at Khewra since 320 BC, in an underground area of about 110 square kilometre. Khewra salt mine has estimated
total of 220 million tonnes of rock salt deposits. The current production from the mine is 325,000 tons salt per annum.
field is targeting initial production of 170,000 metric tons of copper and 300,000 ounces of gold a year.The project may
produce more than 350,000 tons a year of copper and 900,000 ounces of gold.. There are also presence of copper deposites in Daht -e- Kuhn , Nokundi , Located in Chaghi district.
, Amazonite, Kunzite, Serpentine, Azurite, Kyanite, Spessartine (garnet), Beryl, Marganite, Spinel, Emerald
, Moonstone, Topaz
, Epidote, Pargasite, Tourmaline, Garnet (alamandine), Peridot, Turquoise, Garnet (green, grossular), Quartz (citrin & others) and Vesuvianite. The export from these gems is more than 200 Million dollar
A documentary on Pakistan's precious stones "Sang AAmad part 1" and "Sang AAmad part 2" by Waqar Ahmed Malik was on aired on Express News.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Pakistan has deposits of several minerals including coal, copper, gold, chromite, mineral salt, bauxite and several other mierals. There are also a variety of precious and semi-precious minerals that are also mined. These include peridot, aquamarine, topaz, ruby, emerald, rare-earth minerals bastnaesite and xenotime, sphene, tourmaline, and many varieties and types of quartz.
The Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation
Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation
The Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation is an autonomous corporation attached to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, of the Government of Pakistan. It was created in 1974 with an authorized capital of Rs.1,000 million to expand and help mineral development activities in the country...
is the responsible authority for the support and development of the mining industry. Gemstones Corporation of Pakistan looks after the interests of stake holders in gem stone mining and polishing as an official entity. Baluchistan is the richest province in terms of mineral resources available in Pakistan. While recently Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
discovered
coal dposits in Thar. Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa is rich in terms of gems. Most of the mineral gems found in Pakistan exists here. Apart from oil, gas and some mineral used in nuclear energy purposes which comes directly under federal control mining of other minerals is provincial issue. Currently around 52 minerals, are mined and processed in Pakistan.
Coal
CoalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
which is also named as black gold is found into huge quantities in Thar, Chamalang, Quetta and other sites. Thar reserves are estimated 850 Trillion Cubic Feet.
There is enough coal in Pakistan Thar area ( though a part of coal is not of good quality) that it can be used for power generation for next 100 years without relaying on other i.e. hydro / oil resources.
In March 2010, Engro Chemical announced that the group is investing huge amount of money to develop coal fields in Pakistan, however exact sum is unknown. The chemical company also announced to establish energy park in UET Lahore, and start research on In-Situ coal gasification and high pressure transport gasifier.
Mineral Salt
Salt is being minned in the region since 320 BC. Khewra Salt MinesKhewra Salt Mines
Khewra Salt Mines is a salt mine located in Khewra, Jhelum District, Punjab in Pakistan, about from Islamabad and from Lahore. It attracts up to 40,000 visitors per year and is the second largest salt mine in the world...
are among world oldest and biggest salt mines. Salt has
been mined at Khewra since 320 BC, in an underground area of about 110 square kilometre. Khewra salt mine has estimated
total of 220 million tonnes of rock salt deposits. The current production from the mine is 325,000 tons salt per annum.
Copper & Gold
In Reqo Diq, Baluchistan deposits of copper and gold are present. Antofagasta the company having possession of Reqo Diqfield is targeting initial production of 170,000 metric tons of copper and 300,000 ounces of gold a year.The project may
produce more than 350,000 tons a year of copper and 900,000 ounces of gold.. There are also presence of copper deposites in Daht -e- Kuhn , Nokundi , Located in Chaghi district.
Iron Ore
Iron ore found in various regions of Pakistan including Nokundi, Chinot and the largest one in Kalabagh(Less than 42% quality),Harripur and other Northern Areas.Gems and other precious stones
A number of precious stones are minned and polished for local as well as export purposes. The centre point of this operation is Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa. These includes Actinolite, Hessonite, Rodingite, Agate, Idocrase, Rutile, Aquamarine, Jadeite, RubyRuby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
, Amazonite, Kunzite, Serpentine, Azurite, Kyanite, Spessartine (garnet), Beryl, Marganite, Spinel, Emerald
Emerald
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point Mohs scale of mineral hardness...
, Moonstone, Topaz
Topaz
Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula Al2SiO42. Topaz crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and its crystals are mostly prismatic terminated by pyramidal and other faces.-Color and varieties:...
, Epidote, Pargasite, Tourmaline, Garnet (alamandine), Peridot, Turquoise, Garnet (green, grossular), Quartz (citrin & others) and Vesuvianite. The export from these gems is more than 200 Million dollar
A documentary on Pakistan's precious stones "Sang AAmad part 1" and "Sang AAmad part 2" by Waqar Ahmed Malik was on aired on Express News.
Accidents in Mining
Mining in Pakistan is a dangerous job, especially coal mining as safety procedures often neglected and accidents are quite common.- On 21st of March 2011 atleast 45 miners died due to an explosion in a coal mine in Surran range, some 35 km (21.7 mi) east of the provincial capital, Quetta.
- On 14 of Febeuaray 2011, 2 Chinese engineers die in a chromite mine collapse in Qila Saifullah, Pakistan
- On 27th of May 2004, 15 miners died after a gas explosion at a coal mine in Baluchistan.
See also
- Economy of PakistanEconomy of PakistanThe economy of Pakistan is the 47th largest in the world in nominal terms and 27th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity . Pakistan has a semi-industrialized economy, which mainly encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries...
- Mining in IranMining in IranMining in Iran is under-developed. Yet the country is one of the most important mineral producers in the world, ranked among 15 major mineral rich countries, holding some 68 types of minerals, 37 billion tonnes of proven reserves and more than 57 billion tonnes of potential reservoirs....
- Mining in AfghanistanMining in AfghanistanIt is estimated that forty million years ago the tectonic plates of India-Europe, Asia and Africa collided in a massive upheaval. This upheaval created the region of towering mountains that now includes Afghanistan...
- Mining in India
External links
- "2009 Minerals Yearbook: Pakistan"
- A special Express News documentary on Precious Stones
- http://www.nazariapak.info/pak-essentials/coal.asp
- http://www.dawn.com/2006/05/29/ebr8.htm
- http://www.nazariapak.info/pak-essentials/natural.asp
- http://www.nazariapak.info/pak-essentials/other-min.asp
- http://www.gems.com.pk/Gemstones_History.asp