PAKISTAN’S MINERAL RESOURCES
Mineral Development Department:
This department was
created in Sindh in 2001 in pursuance of the National Mineral Policy, 1995. The
department has taken all necessary steps for further establishing its field
office. The province
of Sindh has large
quantities of minerals. In all there are 24 minerals which are being mined at
present. The province also has large quantities of coal and granite reserves.
The granite area which was previously inaccessible has now been connected with Karachi by network of
roads and other facilities like Rest House etc. It is also proposed that Granite Park should be established at
Nagarparkar. Karunjhar Range of Mountains in Nagarparkar has huge reserves of
granite and other rock types of extractable thickness which has the potential
to compete the international market.
Mining and Quarrying:
Pakistan has a widely geological frame work,
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 effort have been made in developing
geological products, institutional, academic and Research and Development
infrastructure, much remains to be done to enable this sector to take full advantage
of its endowment. 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, Balochistan, Iron ore
deposits at Dilband, Balochistan, Lead-zinc deposits in Duddar, Balochistan,
gypsum, rock salt, limestone, dolomite, china clays etc in the Indus Basic,
ornamental and construction stones in the various parts of the country and
about 30 different gems and precious stone deposits in northern Pakistan.
Mineral industry in Pakistan
shows that over the last few decades this sector has been allocated very small
amount - 0.45% to 2.46% of the total public sector expenditure since first five
year plan reflecting its contribution to Gross National Product (GNP) of just
around 0.5%. The mineral resources of a country are valuable means and measures
of its economic and industrial growth. These are still more important for Pakistan
because of its favorable geological environment and a large number of mineral
resources in the country. Considering that substantial scope exists for the
development uncertainties, it requires Government support and recognition of
mineral sector.
The Govt. is fully committed to making the mineral sector in Pakistan one of
the most profitable for the country. During the current fiscal year, mining and
quarrying sector has registered a growth rate of 5.7 percent as against 4.58 percent
of last year. 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 in the upcoming year the Govt. has already started various
initiatives which is evident from the discovery and development of world class
copper-gold deposits in Chagai, Balochistan by Australian Firms that would
fetch $500 million to $600 million per year during the lives of these mines
Development of Thar Coal field, one of the largest good quality lignite
deposits in the world on completion, would provide additional source of energy.
Important minerals in Pakistan:
1.
COAL:
According
to estimates prepared by the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), Pakistan
has total coal reserves of 185 billion
tons, out of which 184 Billion tons are in Sindh – one of the biggest good quality lignite deposit in
the World.
Utilization of coal:
Coal utilization in
Sugar industry
·
There are 76 sugar mills in the country
producing more than 10 million tons of bagasse.
PAKISTAN COAL RESERVES
|
Province
|
Resources
Million Tons
|
Status
|
|
Baluchistan :
|
|
Hamai
|
76
|
Dev
|
|
Sor Range-Degari
|
50
|
Dev
|
|
Duki
|
50
|
Dev
|
|
Mach-Abegum
|
23
|
Dev
|
|
Pir Ismail Ziarat
|
12
|
Dev
|
|
Bar khan –
Chamalang
|
6
|
Dev
|
|
Sub-Total
|
217
|
|
|
PUNJAB:
|
|
Salt Range
|
213
|
Dev
|
|
Markawal
|
22
|
Dev
|
|
Sub-Total
|
235
|
|
|
SINDH:
|
|
Thar Coal
|
175,506
|
Non Dev
|
|
Sonda-Thatta
|
3,700
|
Non Dev
|
|
Indus East
|
1,777
|
Non Dev
|
|
Jherruck
|
1,823
|
Non Dev
|
|
Lakhra
|
1,328
|
Dev
|
|
Ongar
|
312
|
Non Dev
|
|
Meting –
Jhimpir
|
161
|
Dev
|
|
Badin
|
16
|
Non Dev
|
|
Sub Total
|
184,623
|
|
|
NWFP:
|
|
Hangu / Orakzai
|
82
|
|
|
Cherat /
Gulla Khel
|
9
|
Dev
|
|
Sub Total:
|
90
|
Dev
|
|
Azad Kashmir:
|
|
|
|
Kotli
|
9
|
|
|
Sub Total:
|
9
|
Dev
|
|
Total
|
185,173
|
·
This bagasse is used mainly for burning in
the boilers for producing steam in power generation to meet the electricity
requirement of the mills
·
It has been estimated that the sugar mills
based on coal need 4000-4500 tons of coal per day i.e. 1.0 to 1.5 million Coal
per annum.
Coal utilization in
Cement industry.
·
Phased conversion of cement plants from
fuel oil to coal is under implementation.
·
Conversion of entire cement industry would
require around 2.5 million tons of coal annually.
Production of Soft Coke for Foundry
industries
Coal
of Orakzai Agency is suitable for production of soft coke to meet the
requirements of foundry and engineering industries
Coal
Washing
Indigenous
coal contains high Sulphur
and high ash contents due to which processing industry is reluctant to utilize
it. To minimize such deleterious material in indigenous coal and to make it
acceptable for processing industry, establishment of coal up-gradation/washing
plants is needed.
Manufacturing of
Smokeless Coal Briquetters
·
A viable project to manufacture smokeless
coal both for domestic and commercial uses as its calorific value (Btu/Rs) is
highest as compared to wood, kerosene oil, Charcoal etc.
Coal Utilization for
power Generation
Can
be used for power generation cement and other heat intensive industries.
Use of Coal in
Boilers
There
are more than 4000 boilers in the country that use furnace oil or natural
gas.Replacement of gas/oil with smokeless coal may be explored.
Gasification
Due
to limited gas reserves in the country and to utilize Thar coal in best way,
gasification is better-utilized option for Thar coal.
2. Copper
The
significance of copper resources of Pakistan is widely known because of
huge investment made in development of saindak copper deposit.
Potential
Deposits
More
than 1882.5 million tons of Copper reserves are found in Pakistan
i) Reko Diq Copper – Gold Deposits
Location: Distt Chaghi,
Balochistan
Reserves: 837 million tons
. Copper (0.64% with 50 millions tons)
. Gold (9 million
ounces)
ii)
Saindak Copper – Gold Deposit
Balochistan
- Location: 40 km West of Reko Diq project
- Reserves; 400 millions tons
- Production: 15810 tons – blister Copper
(Per year 1.47
tons – Gold
2.76 tons – Silver
Economic Benefits of Copper
- Import
substitution
- Indigenization
of technology
- Relatively
cheaper copper available for export and for use in the local market for
engineering and electrical cables
3.
Zinc / Lead
More than 23.72 million
tons of Zinc/Lead reserves are found in Pakistan. The Jurassic rocks of the
Lasbela – Khuzdar Belt have the potential to host several WORLD CLASS’ zinc –
lead ore deposits. Among the four better known deposits of Surmai Gunga,
Dhungei Duddar is the most advanced.
i) Duddar-Gunga-Surmai Lead-Deposits
- Detailed geo-scientific
studies through mapping and drilling (46000 meters) an inferred plus indicated
geological reserves of 14.31 Mt @ 80.6 %
Zn and cut-off 3.2% Pb have been
calculated for the Duddar Deposit using + 7% Zn Pb cut-off.
- The resources of Duddar Deposit have been
estimated at about 50 Mt.
4.
Gypsum / Anhydrite
The
gypsum resources in Pakistan
have existence in at least three interesting areas in terms of their size,
resource, quality, reserves and exploitability.
1.
Salt
Range of the Punjab
2.
Kohat Banu Region of NWFP
3.
Suleman
Range of D.G. Khan, Punjab
Resources: 5-6
billion tons
Average Production: 384 metric tons per annum
Pakistan Gypsum Reserves
|
Province
Punjab
|
Deposits
|
|
-
Rakhi-Munh
-Safed
Koh-Rodo area (Central
Suleiman Range)
-Dadukhel –
Mianwali area
- Khewra
|
27 Mt.
15 Mt.
53 Mt
.
25Mt.
|
|
NWFP:
Dera Ismail khan
-Saiduwali
-Near Drazinda
and Mughalkot
Kohat
|
20 Mt.
70 Mt.
4,442 Mt. (above surface)
472 Mt. (down to dip of 30 meters.
|
|
Balochistan
-Near
Spintangi
-Mawand –
Khattan
-Barkhan –
Chamalang
|
5 Mt.
20 Mt.
7 Mt.
|
Potential
Investment Opportunities.
§ . Gypsum can be used as
Corrector of Low Quality Tube wells water.
§ Gypsum
plaster sand blocks with gypsum mortar, may be considered for the construction
of low cost houses.
5. Solar
Salt
Bright
prospects exist for the development of high purity solar salt facility around
the coastal areas of Karachi.
Solar salt so produced has export potential to the exponding southeast Asia
Chemicals industries and for the growing industries established throughout.
6. Chromite Ore.
Chromite occurrence is wide- spread yet its
potential is far from being fully assessed judging from the favorable
geological environment. For this reason, chromite deposits of Baluchistan and
NWFP must be considered from a regional standpoint that could enable Pakistan to
become a major exporter of chromite and /or ferrochrome.
Potential Deposits
i) Balochistan Chromite Deposits
-
In Pakistan,
Muslim Bagh chromite deposits are of the major commercial source of chromite
ii) NWFP Chromite Deposits
- In Dargai has been
spectacular: estimated reserves 0.7 Mt of which 0.3 Mts are proven.
- In Heroshah, open pit reserves of around
0.1 Mt have been proved.
- Similary in Jijal-pattan and Chilas areas
(Kohistan) Shunghail prospect appear to contain 0.2 Mt reserves.
7. Aluminum Deposits (Bauxite and Laterite)
Potential Deposits
- Reserves: about 74 millions tons
- Location: Muzffarabad, Ziarat,
Kalat, Khushabd
Economic
Benefits of Aluminum
Import substitution
Indigenization metals
and row materials available in the market
Relatively cheaper, Aluminum available for export
and for use in the local market for automotive, engineering and electrical
