U.S. Discovers Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

NY Times ^ | June 13, 2010 | James Risen

[americanophile]

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 Blackberries.

The vast scale of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.

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.”

[N. Theknow]

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.

No unobtainium?

Besides, all those mineral deposits aren't going to do any good without high speed rail between Kabul and Kandahar.

[americanophile]

LOL

[353FMG]

Followed by public mass executions of anyone who cooperated with US troops. But before that happens, we will have a mass immigration of Afghan refugees who, as a token of their appreciation, will build more mosques, live on the dole and try to impose on us the very cult that they escaped.

We in turn will provide free housing, food and footbaths at taxpayer’s expense. Muslims are so much smarter than the American people.

[lentulusgracchus]

That’s the whole open-markets idea. Open-outcry markets discount the product and disappoint the seller. That’s why 30 million US farmers went broke. That’s why the Bush family doctrine has always been, open markets and Yankee middlemen getting rich.