U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

[Modbert]

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war.

“There is stunning potential here,” Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. “There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.”

The value of the newly discovered mineral deposits dwarfs the size of Afghanistan’s existing war-bedraggled economy, which is based largely on opium production and narcotics trafficking as well as aid from the United States and other industrialized countries. Afghanistan’s gross domestic product is only about $12 billion.

This. Changes. Everything.

 

[hortysir]

Bullshit.


The war is about OIL, not minerals

 

[Woyzeck]

Well we just hit the jackpot. How so very lucky of us.

 

[Modbert]

Well we just hit the jackpot. How so very lucky of us.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8iOmVd1W_g]YouTube - The Price is Right, Extended Theme[/ame]

 

[Avatar4321]

Why on earth are all these deposits and minerals and natural resources sit underneath places with such oppressive regimes or militants?

 

[Modbert]

Why on earth are all these deposits and minerals and natural resources sit underneath places with such oppressive regimes or militants?

Because they're too busy trying to cover their own ass instead of exploring the land?

 

[ConHog]

Here's EXACTLY what Obama will do.

He will invest hundreds of millions of American dollars into building the infrastructure necessary to extract said minerals, then he will summarily turn it over to the Afghans without so much as a plan for us to be repaid what is owed us.

 

[syrenn]

Here's EXACTLY what Obama will do.

He will invest hundreds of millions of American dollars into building the infrastructure necessary to extract said minerals, then he will summarily turn it over to the Afghans without so much as a plan for us to be repaid what is owed us.

Your right.

 

[xsited1]

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com
...

So that's what Bush was after. And I thought he was dumb. Silly me.

 

[random3434]

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. “The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible?” Mr. Brinkley said. “No one knows how this will work.”

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. “This is a country that has no mining culture,” said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Survey’s international affairs program. “They’ve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.”

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency.

I'm no expert, but China and the US, among other countries, fighting for this land and their resources could lead to WW3.

What do you all think? It's going to turn into a battle of who really does/will control this land and all it offers.

 

[Modbert]

I'm no expert, but China and the US, among other countries, fighting for this land and their resources could lead to WW3.

What do you all think? It's going to turn into a battle of who really does/will control this land and all it offers.

When it's put into that perspective, seems like a bunch of larger countries are standing around slicing up the pie that is Afghanistan.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

So are you indicating you think President Obama will be in the White House long enough (meaning until 2016) to do all of this? Because I don't know how something on such a grand scale could be done in 2 years, do you?

And if you want to debate someone, try acting like a grown up yourself, and stick to the facts.

I find this topic very interesting, and the fact it's getting derailed by a bunch of grown men who have to throw insults is very telling.

I'm worried about the future of our soldiers over there, the US and England will NEVER leave there because of this now I'm afraid.

Gee, how is that possible?

Maybe because he is the one that will get them started, and all of his followers will give him credit for it no matter how long it takes, a bit like the Reagan defenders give him credit for things that didn't happen until Clinton was president, just like it has always happened throughout history. Grow up and take a look at the real world sometime.

 

[xsited1]

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. “The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible?” Mr. Brinkley said. “No one knows how this will work.”

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. “This is a country that has no mining culture,” said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Survey’s international affairs program. “They’ve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.”

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency.

I'm no expert, but China and the US, among other countries, fighting for this land and their resources could lead to WW3.

What do you all think? It's going to turn into a battle of who really does/will control this land and all it offers.

It's nearly $1 trillion. That's nothing. It sounds like politicians are still trying to justify a useless war that get a lot of innocent people killed.

 

[random3434]

So are you indicating you think President Obama will be in the White House long enough (meaning until 2016) to do all of this? Because I don't know how something on such a grand scale could be done in 2 years, do you?

And if you want to debate someone, try acting like a grown up yourself, and stick to the facts.

I find this topic very interesting, and the fact it's getting derailed by a bunch of grown men who have to throw insults is very telling.

I'm worried about the future of our soldiers over there, the US and England will NEVER leave there because of this now I'm afraid.

Gee, how is that possible?

Maybe because he is the one that will get them started, and all of his followers will give him credit for it no matter how long it takes, a bit like the Reagan defenders give him credit for things that didn't happen until Clinton was president, just like it has always happened throughout history. Grow up and take a look at the real world sometime.

So you have a crystal ball now, and know not only what I have thought in the past, but what others are going to think in the future.

Do you have any thoughts on this topic, or are you just going to tell everyone who posts in this thread to "grow up"?

 

[random3434]

At the same time, American officials fear resource-hungry China will try to dominate the development of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, which could upset the United States, given its heavy investment in the region. After winning the bid for its Aynak copper mine in Logar Province, China clearly wants more, American officials said.

Another complication is that because Afghanistan has never had much heavy industry before, it has little or no history of environmental protection either. “The big question is, can this be developed in a responsible way, in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible?” Mr. Brinkley said. “No one knows how this will work.”

With virtually no mining industry or infrastructure in place today, it will take decades for Afghanistan to exploit its mineral wealth fully. “This is a country that has no mining culture,” said Jack Medlin, a geologist in the United States Geological Survey’s international affairs program. “They’ve had some small artisanal mines, but now there could be some very, very large mines that will require more than just a gold pan.”

The mineral deposits are scattered throughout the country, including in the southern and eastern regions along the border with Pakistan that have had some of the most intense combat in the American-led war against the Taliban insurgency.

I'm no expert, but China and the US, among other countries, fighting for this land and their resources could lead to WW3.

What do you all think? It's going to turn into a battle of who really does/will control this land and all it offers.

It's nearly $1 trillion. That's nothing. It sounds like politicians are still trying to justify a useless war that get a lot of innocent people killed.

Tell me about it, like I said, this is my biggest fear, that not only our troops will never leave now, but we (and our allies) will send even MORE over there for the $$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Modbert]

Tell me about it, like I said, this is my biggest fear, that not only our troops will never leave now, but we (and our allies) will send even MORE over there for the $$$$$$$$$$$

I didn't think we were going to leave Afghanistan for what would essentially add up to forever, but this just seals it. I mean, we're still in Japan and it's 65 years later.

 

[blu]

echo & mod, why don't you just delete all of conhog and fellow trolls posts in this thread and leave the on topic ones?

with that said, this is going to turn out bad and lead to decades of corruption. the taliban and other militant groups will control actual access to the resources, enslave locals to gather it, and then sell it to multinational companies who will turn a blind eye to whats happening as long as they get their profit. it will be the next blood diamonds

 

[Modbert]

with that said, this is going to turn out bad and lead to decades of corruption. the taliban and other militant groups will control actual access to the resources, enslave locals to gather it, and then sell it to multinational companies who will turn a blind eye to whats happening as long as they get their profit. it will be the next blood diamonds

Unless we kill and or capture them all first.

 

[blu]

with that said, this is going to turn out bad and lead to decades of corruption. the taliban and other militant groups will control actual access to the resources, enslave locals to gather it, and then sell it to multinational companies who will turn a blind eye to whats happening as long as they get their profit. it will be the next blood diamonds

Unless we kill and or capture them all first.

we can't, it sucks such stuff is found is such shitty places. all this will do is enrich drug dealers and already billionarie companies, while the local people will see an influx of drugs, slavery, and brutal living conditions.

 

[Modbert]

we can't, it sucks such stuff is found is such shitty places. all this will do is enrich drug dealers and already billionarie companies, while the local people will see an influx of drugs, slavery, and brutal living conditions.

Which is why we're going to be there for a very long time. This pretty much seals it I'd say.