As the world's media spotlight falls on Afghanistan, Fastmarkets looks at why reported claims of incoming Chinese mining deals are unlikely to be fulfilled soon.
Mes Aynak, Afghanistan's most well-known copper project, means "small copper deposit" in Pashto. Indications suggest it is anything but.
The deposit holds 240 million tonnes of 2.3% grade copper ore, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), making it one of the largest untapped high-grade projects in the world.
While scenes of human tragedy in Afghanistan crowd newsfeeds following the Taliban's takeover of the country, the fate of its vast metal and mineral reserves, including the Aynak copper mine, have come to the fore again.
Deposits like Mes Aynak are increasingly rare and the question of who gets access to them has become increasingly important; while nations and industry move toward lofty energy transition goals, a scramble for finite metal resources to fuel the shift is underway.
"The initial soundings have always been that this is one of the mighty projects that will be supplying the world...