Private companies start extracting marble at newly regulated Baghlan mine

Two private companies have started extracting marble from a mine in Baghlan province that was mined illegally in the past, officials confirmed. 

The companies have a five-year contract to mine marble for 900 afghanis per ton, ministry of mines and petroleum officials said. 

The marble mine is located in Khowaja Zayed Valley, Doshi District, in Baghlan province, and has a history of having been mined illegally. 

However, operations have now been regulated and according to a Baghlan mining directorate official, Adel: “With small-scale companies, each of them has a contract for five years, and these companies start their work according to the plan and contract that was concluded.”

The governor of Baghlan said in turn that revenue generated from mines in the province will go towards infrastructure projects such as building and repairing roads, bridges and culverts. 

“We assure the people that the work will be done in a safe and proper manner in this mine and we assure the people that public services will be provided to them,” said Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Haqqani, governor of Baghlan province. 

“Our request is that the damaged condition of our roads and culverts should be addressed because it is a necessity,” said Mohammad Yousuf, the district governor of Doshi district of Baghlan.

According to officials from the two companies, the marble they mine will be sold locally and exported. 

“The materials that are extracted, we are trying to cover domestic needs first, and in the next step, we will have talks with countries like Turkey, Uzbekistan, and China, with whom we will sign contracts for business,” said Mohammad Nabi, the manager of one contracting company.