Experts to assess environmental and social impact of Mes Aynak copper mine

A team of experts will start assessing the environmental and social impact of an operational Mes Aynak copper mine in Logar province, Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency announced on Monday.

Officials said that discussions have been held in this regard with the contracted company and a team of domestic experts is going to carry out assessments within three months.

“This project has different dimensions. One of them is related to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, which should proceed according to their principles. Second, there are antiquities in the area and the Ministry of Information and Culture is working according to its principles over vulnerability. Our principle is that [the mining company] MCC must comply with environmental standards,” said Zain al-Abidin Abid, the technical deputy chief of the National Environmental Protection Agency.

Ministry of Mines and Petroleum officials stated that they will assess the environmental effects in cultural and economic fields.

“At each stage, it is necessary to have separate plans in accordance with the norms in the environmental protection area. Another issue is that for the reconstruction in the mining area, which is a very important step, global effective standards should be included in the environmental and social impact assessment report,” said Hamidullah Habibi, head of Aynak copper mining project department at the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

Officials of the contracted company emphasized that they are ready to cooperate with officials on the environmental assessment.

Mes Aynak copper deposit is located 40 km southeast of Kabul in Logar province. It is the world’s second largest copper deposit.