Mining, quarrying sector register 5.6% growth
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—The Government is fully committed to making the mineral sector in Pakistan one of the most profitable for the country as during the current fiscal year the mining and quarrying sector has registered a growth rate of 5.6 percent as against 4.58 percent of last year.
According to the official sources the increased growth was propelled by strong growths recorded in magnetite (30%), dolomite (26.1%), Limestone (25.2%) and chromites. To make this sector thrive more the Government has already started various initiatives which is evident from the discovery and development of world class copper-gold deposits in Chagai; Balochsitan by Australian Firms that would fetch $ 500 million to $ 600 million per year during the lives of these mines.
The sources said that successful upgradation studies being carried out by German Consultants on Dilband Iron Ores Balochsitan would, to large extent, minimize importation of Iron Ores 1.7 million tons iron ores costing about Rs. 3.2 billion per year.
Development of Thar coal field, one of the largest good quality lignite deposits in the world, on completion, would provide additional source of energy.
Moreover development of abundantly available high quality industrial minerals and natural stones has bright prospects for exports, import substitution and local consumption, the sources added. The confidence of foreign investors, developers and consultants repose in Pakistan, clearly demonstrate the successful implementation of investment oriented policies initiated by the present regime, the sources maintained.
The minerals described below are under various phases of exploration, development and utilization in Pakistan which includes Energy Minerals (coal), Agriculture Minerals (rock phosphate, gypsum), Metallic Minerals (iron ores, copper, gold, zinc-lead, chromite, antimony), Refractory Minerals (refractory clays, magnesite, chromite, silica sand, dolomite) and Glass & Ceramic Minerals (kaolinchina clay, nephyeline syenite, silica sand).
The sources said that Pakistan has a widely varied geological framework, ranging from pre-Cambrian to the Present that includes a number of zones hosting several metallic minerals, industrial minerals, precious and semi-precious stones.
Although many efforts have been made in developing geological products, institutional, academic and Research and Development (R&D) infrastructure, much remains to be done to enable this sector to take full advantage of its endowment, they added.
As a result of various efforts devoted for the development of mineral sector, resources of several minerals have been discovered over the last many decades, including world class resources of lignite coal deposits at Thar; Sindh; porphyry copper-gold deposits in Chagai; Balochsitan; Iron ore deposits at Dilband; Balochsitan; lead-zinc deposits at Dodder; Balochistan; gypsum; rock salt; limestone; dolomite; china clays etc.
In the Indus Basin, ornamental and construction stones in the various parts of the country; and about 30 different gems and precious stone deposits in northern Pakistan, the sources added.