Govt to launch ‘Reko Dik Copper-Gold’ project by 2010

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Project, to cost $1bn, will produce 0.3m tonnes copper per annum

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: The government would launch a mega project near Saindak Project of Balochistan ‘Reko Dik Copper-Gold’ with an investment of $1 billion by 2010, an official document revealed on Monday.

The project would help in producing 0.3 million tonnes of copper per annum for the first time in Pakistan in the major copper producing country of the world by using indigenous physical and human capabilities. The document revealed that it was subject to entering into a viable agreement among the mining company, government of Pakistan and provincial government of Balochistan.

The Duddar lead-zinc deposits in Balochistan were being developed and have come into production to produce 100,000 tonnes of zinc concentrates and 33,000 tonnes of lead concentrates for exports.

The document revealed that the country was blessed with rich and diversified mineral potential. Considering that mineral sector was inadequate, the government had given priority to the development of this sector during the year 2009-10. The development of the mining industry had been recognised as priority sector in various development plans. Adequate institutional, human, and other relevant infrastructure have been developed but remained underutilised.

According to the document, the government also planned the development of Thar Coal Field in Sindh containing 175 billion tonnes, one of the largest good quality lignite deposits in the world, on completion would be used for power generation and gasification. All the non-glamorous minerals, having immense socio-economic benefits would be fully utilised such as abundantly available gypsum deposits would be utilised for producing gypsum plaster to partially replace cement in housing sector, reclamation of saline-sodic soils and treatment of low quality tube wells water through the application of gypsum would bring spectacular and durable socio-economic impacts in rural areas. It would generate gainful employment opportunities, improve crop yield and in turn prosperity and political stability.

Phosphate rocks of NWFP evaluated by spending colossal amount of money and tireless efforts by international organisations and national institutions would be exploited to set up phosphatic fertilizer industries, dimension industries would be developed to meet the ever-increasing demand of various sectors of the economy.

The government planned that the mineral sector would grow by 2 percent during 2009-10. An allocation of Rs 500 million had been earmarked for minerals sectors in FY 2009-10. Major projects to be carried out during next fiscal year included, ‘Ground Follow-up of Aeromagnetic Anomalies in Chagai District Balochistan’, ‘Accelerated Geological Mapping and Geochemical Exploration of the out-crop areas of Pakistan’ and ‘Up-gradation of Geosciences Advance Research Laboratories, Geological Survey of Pakistan’.

The document further revealed that the mineral potential of Pakistan was recognised to be excellent but the sector was inadequately developed. This was evident from the fact that its contribution to Gross Nation Product (GNP) remained 0.5 percent to 1 percent, unchanged over the last many decades.

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