See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/342344166

AFGHANISTAN'S NATURAL RESOURCES

Conference Paper · February 2019

CITATIONS READS

0 5,062

3 authors, including:

Mohammad Shaieq Frotan Eizo Nakaza

Ministry of Public Works Afghanistan university of theRyukyus
3 PUBLICATIONS   3 CITATIONS    73 PUBLICATIONS   169 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Kabul Ring-Road (Hydrology and Hydraulic Design) View project

Research Laboratory University View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Mohammad Shaieq Frotan on 21 June 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 AFGHANISTAN’S NATURAL RESOURCES
1
MOHAMMAD SHAIEQ FROTAN, 2EIZO NAKAZA, 3SCHAAB CAROLYN
1,2,3
Civil Engineering Department of Hydraulic Okinawa, Japan
E-mail: shaieq.frotan@gmail.com, 2enakaza@tec.u-ryukyu.ac.jp, 3cschaab@hawaii.edu,
1

Abstract - Afghanistan is a country rich in natural resources (water resource, gas and crude oil, gemstones and other
minerals) that are a huge national treasury of afghan people, these natural assets can lead Afghanistan toward self-sufficiency
and development whiles 54.5 percent of Afghanistan people are below poverty line but due to security problem and
concerning of neighbor countries the government of Afghanistan cannot manage its source properly, especially the
gemstone of Badakhshan province and other insecure area of country instead of to be used in developing and constriction of
infrastructure projects is a good source for the terrorists and none government militias and almost the gemstones of
Afghanistan extracts illegally with the rural people and illicit to Pakistan and other countries. The aim of this study is to
provide a generally information about natural resources and its situation in Afghanistan.

Keywords - Afghanistan, Natural Resources, Crude Oil, Gas, Security Problem, Gemstones.

I. INTRODUCTION or continental climate, and areas to the south of the

Afghanistan is located between latitudes of 29.4N-
38.5N and longitudes of 60.5E-75E and has a land
area of almost 652000 square km, and it is bordered
by Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to the
north, Iran to the west, Pakistan to the east and China
to the northeast figure 1.
high mountains have a less continental climate. The
overall average temperature in July is +32ºC, in
January -2ºC and the maximum temperature at the
deserts (Dasht-e Margo) has been recorded +50ºC
while the minimum temperature has been dropped to
-50ºC in the Hindukush mountains. Annual
evapotranspiration in Afghanistan is partially low. It
varies from (900 mm to 1200 mm) at the Hindukush
Mountain due to low temperatures and reaches up to
1800 mm in the southern and southwestern regions
[2].

II. AFGHANISTAN’S WATER RESOURCES

RIVER BASIN

Based on hydrological and morphological system the

country is divided into five major river basins, as
shown in Figure 2-a Amu River Basin, Kabul River
Basin, Helmand River Basin, Harirud-Murghab River
Basin, and Northern River basin. According to the
Water Sector Strategy of Afghanistan [3] the surface
water resources availability by basin show Kabul has
Figure 1. Location of Afghanistan in world map. 20.76 billion m3, Helmand 9.3 billion m3, Amu 22
billion m3, Northern 1.88 billion m3, and Harirud-
Afghanistan is almost a mountainous country so it Murghab 3.06 billion m3 of surface water, Figure 2-
causes to be a big natural water resource for the b.
rivers. Many streams in Afghanistan have been
originated from the northern and central part of
Afghanistan and flows toward west and south-west
part of the country. Hindukush Mountain provides
almost 80% of water resource Afghanistan has more
than 25 big streams that cross several provinces
among wide deserts and finally drains to Neighbors
countries, some of the most important rivers are
mentioned below. With estimation the overall
country’s annual potential water resource is 75
Billion cubic meters which 57 BCM is surface water
and 18 BCM is ground water [1]. Afghanistan is
located at sub-tropical latitudes, the topography of the
particular range of elevation has a very different
climate; areas to the north of high mountains are dry Figure 2-a. Shows the Afghanistan 5 major river basin.

Proceedings of GSRD International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 06th-07th February, 2019

29
 Afghanistan’s Natural Resources

Figure 2-b. shows the Surface Water Resources Availability by

3
Basins in billion M

III. OIL AND GAS RESOURCES Figure 3. Show the Afghanistan oil and gas availability by
major basin.

3.1. Petroleum Resources

3.2.2 The Afghan-Tajik Crude Oil Zone
According to a joint survey, the United States
The crude oil in this basin has been situated in the
Geological Survey (USGS) and the Afghanistan
northern and north-east of the country and stretched
Geological Survey (AGS) an assessment of oil and
almost 31,000 square kilometers area along the
gas resources in northern as well as in Western and
border with Turkmenistan
Southern Afghanistan shows an estimation mean
The Tajik-Afghan crude oil zone was discovered in
volumes of petroleum in the Northern assessment
1958 with a reserve of around 946 million barrels of
area were 1.6 billion barrels of crude oil, 16 trillion
crude oil and 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The
cubic feet of natural gas, and 0.50 billion of natural
sedimentary Afghan-Tajik oil and gas zone is divided
gas liquids, [4]. In addition most of the undiscovered
into 12 blocks. The two blocks have the capacity to
crude oil and gas is located respectively in the
produce 514 million barrels of crude oil and 91
Afghan-Tajik and Amu Darya Basin, that the both
billion cubic meters of natural gas. According to the
basin has covered an area of almost 515,000 square
contract, the two blocks would fulfill the energy
kilometers [5].
needs of Afghanistan [6].
3.2 Afghanistan Oil and Gas Resources Basin
3.2.3 Tripul Oil Basin
Afghanistan has five (5) major and 1 minor
Crude oil in this zone Situated in the Islam Qala
sedimentary basins figure 3. All of which are
district in the western province of Heart and stretched
underexplored. Almost all of the petroleum
about an area of 26,000 square kilometers and located
exploration and development activities were confined
95 kilometers from the Iran’s border. The exact
to northern Afghanistan within the Amu Darya and
information about the amount of oil in this basin is
Afghan-Tajik basins. Between year 1957-1989 while
not estimated yet but the geologists say that the
Afghanistan was occupied by Soviet- Era a total of
Tripul Oil and gas has been reserved enough and the
six (6) oil and eight (8) gas fields were discovered
excavation would be easier [5] [6].
[5].
3.2.4 Katawaz Zone
3.2.1 Amu River Basin
The Katawaz zone is located in the southeast of the
The crude oil zone in this basin is stretched over
country and stretched over an area of 45,000 square
75,000 square kilometers. The survey of this basin
kilometres.
has been started with collaboration of Soviet Union in
In part of Afghanistan neither exploration well have
1958, that 67 digging spots among 500 identified has
been drilled and ass well seismic surveys conducted
been explored and the result found eight natural gas
yet but the Petroleum geology studies as well as
and six crude oil.
gravity and magnetic surveys have been conducted in
this basin [7].
With estimation around 963 million barrels of crude
oil and 52 trillion cubic feet of natural gas were the
3.2.5 Helmand Crude Oil Zone
potential of these sources.
This site is situated in a desert and stretched over an
area of 131,000 square kilometers. The basin
In this case the Amu Crude oil is taken a position of
corresponds to an area in which gravity and magnetic
15 ranking in the overall world [6].
data are interpreted to indicate a sedimentary rock
thickness greater than 1,500 m [8]. The gravity and
magnetic survey are the only activities of this basin.

Proceedings of GSRD International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 06th-07th February, 2019

30
 Afghanistan’s Natural Resources

IV. MINERALS IN AFGHANISTAN

4.1Gemstones of Afghanistan
Gemstone is found since 6500 years ago in
Afghanistan and made the country rich in precious
and semiprecious gemstone deposits as shown in
figure 4, Lapis Lazuli mined in the Hindu Kush
Mountains and the traders in Neolithic period were
carrying these gemstone to Mesopotamia, Egypt and
India. A good quality of precious gems including
emeralds , ruby and sapphires as shown in figure 5-a
and 5-b are mined in Afghanistan as well as semi- Figure 5-b shows emeralds of Afghanistan.
precious gems like Lapis Lazuli, tourmaline, kunzite,
topaz, garnets and quartz[9]. Recently government of Afghanistan initiatives is
addressing the economic issues associated with
gemstone production. A new mining law and
extracting regulations has been developed t for the
formal and logic extraction of minerals in
Afghanistan, implementation this new law will enable
the gemstone trade legally and will encourage the
traders to investment in the mining in Afghanistan.

Figure 4. Shows deposited of gemstone in different area of
Afghanistan.
Almost 95 percent of gemstones mined in
Afghanistan are extracting illegally, and illicit to
Pakistan for cutting and selling, the Afghanistan’s
gemstones are sorted and export by Pakistan around
the world, the illegally extracting of game stone
caused Afghanistan to gain a little income from the
minerals and also makes difficult to estimate the
annual production of gemstones.
4.2 Gold
Gold extraction has been started in Afghanistan for
centuries in south-west of the country including
Ghazni, Zabul, Kandahar and Takhar Province at
north of Afghanistan figure 6. Gold deposits and
prospects are known in rocks of Proterozoic to
Neogene age. Afghanistan is relatively under-
explored and has not yet been evaluated in the light of
modern mineral deposit models and using up-to-date
sophisticated analytical methods and exploration
techniques. There is significant potential for further
discoveries of gold mineralization throughout the
country in a variety of styles especially porphyry Cu-
Au and skarn Cu-Au.[9]

Figure 6. Shows deposited of gold in Afghanistan

4.3 Lapis of Badakhshan

Badakhshan province is located at north-east of
Afghanistan, according to its geography location is
one of the most deprived provinces in the country but
it is rich in water resources and mining areas.
Mining in this province has taken places in many
Figure 5-a shows sapphires gem of Afghanistan.
areas, high quality of precious and semi-precious

Proceedings of GSRD International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 06th-07th February, 2019

31
 Afghanistan’s Natural Resources
stones, including gold; Spinel (lal – also known as
balas ruby), tourmaline (beruj), and lapis lazuli
(lajward) are deposited. Lapis of Badakhshan is a
especial symbol of Afghanistan: a stone traditionally
associated with truth and friendship that is now linked
to corruption and conflict figure 7-a. And a huge
mine of lapis is located in this province as shown in
figure 7-b [9].
Badakhshan mines have been part of a global
economy for some 6,500 years, but the current crisis
has many of its immediate roots in the fighting
against the post-1979 Soviet occupation and the
subsequent civil war.
Figre 7-a shows Lapis of Afghansitan.
Figure 7-b shows Lapis Mine in Badakhshan province of
Afghanistan.
THE AYNAK CUPPER DEPOSIT
The Aynak Cupper is the most famous and valuable
natural source of Afghanistan, it’s situated in an area
around 30 km from south to south-east of capital of
Afghanistan (Kabul) as shown in figure 8. In 1974,
Russian geologists prospected and mapped the Kabul
area and rediscovered the Aynak, Darband and
Jawkhar copper prospects [9].
Copper has been deposited in the other parts of
Afghanistan as well but the largest and best-known
copper discovery in Afghanistan is the world-class
Aynak strata bound deposit hosted within Vendian-
Proceedings of GSRD International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 06th-07th February, 2019
32
Cambrian quartz-biotite-dolomite meta sedimentary
rocks. According to Soviet surveys in the 1970 and
1980 Aynak mine has a potential of 240 Mt at 2.3 %
Cu.
Figure 8. Shows the location of Aynak Copper in Afghanistan.
THE HAJIGAK IRON DEPOSIT
The Hajigak iron ore deposit is situated in the Bamian
province, almost 130 km west the country’s capital,
Kabul as shown in Figure 9. The ore occurs within
the Herat fault zone as sub-concordant sheets and
lenses within Proterozoic Meta sedimentary and Meta
volcanic rocks.
An official survey in the year 1960 estimated Hajigak
mine has a potential of 1.8 billion tons of iron ore
with a concentration of approximately 62 % Fe that
ranks the Hajigak deposit as world class’s iron mine.
The Hajigak deposit trends north-east–south-west for
about 9 km and is made up of 16 separate ore bodies,
each up to 3 km in length.
Figure 9. shows the location of Hajigak iron Mine in
Afghanistan
The deposit can be divided up into three geographical
parts, the western, central and eastern parts. In
addition to the large ore bodies there is a substantial
area of thin fragmental ore deposits in the form of
four sacrificial deposits. The thickness of the lenses
has been indicated by drilling to be up to 100 m,
while the depth of mineralization is untested 180 m
below surface [9].
 Afghanistan’s Natural Resources
V. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Afghanistan is a located in the south-central Asia and
has a population 31.6 million people in 2018 [10] and
almost 54.5 percent of the population are under line
of poverty [11].
Despite Afghanistan is rich in natural resources but
has 20.8 billion USD GDP in 2017 [12], the main
factors kept Afghanistan among the undeveloped
countries is security problems and corruptions,
because in case of water resources Afghanistan’s
annual average water resources is 75 billion cubic
meters but only 30 percent of the water are used and
the rest is out of controls and flows to the neighbors
countries [13]. Natural gas and crude oil in
Afghanistan is still not extracted except in 2011
Afghan Gas Enterprise successfully rehabilitated a
well in the Shakarak gas field, which represented the
first major addition to Afghanistan’s natural gas
supplies in decades. Afghan Gas Enterprise is
currently producing approximately 450,000 cubic
meters of natural gas every day [14].
Afghanistan is a country very rich in gemstones but
the mining of gemstone is traditionally, people living
in the villages near the mines are extracting the by
minerals by hand using drill, dynamite and explosion
methods, these techniques of mining caused to waste
and damages to the gems and get the gem with a very
low quality, moreover the extracted gemstones illicit
with the people to Pakistan and after sorting and
designing in Pakistan distributes in the other
countries, Lapis of Badakhshan and other gemstone is
a major source of funds for the Taliban and other
terrorists to provide their facilities for the conflict.
Despite Hajigak iron mine is located in the remote
area and locked with the mountainous geography and
obviously it is a challenge project for development
and extracting but the large tonnage and high iron
content make it attractive to companies with the
proven ability to plan and develop large world-class
mines in demanding areas. The existence of sufficient
coal near the Hajigak mine is a great opportunity for
construction of a blast furnace and creation of an
integrated iron and steel plant.

Proceedings of GSRD International Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 06th-07th February, 2019
33
View publication stats
CONCLUSION
Afghanistan is a cross road of routes in Asia and a
natural corridor for the traders to carry troops and
goods from west to east moreover its natural
resources has the potential of growing up among the
first world countries. Investigation and development
of water resources and investment in mining sector of
Afghanistan can be a new hope for the retune of
peace and stability, on the other hand contribution
these natural resources directly influence to poverty
alleviation and creates many job opportunity.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the Peace
Project Team, under direct supervision of JICA
Scholarship, Project for the Promotion and
Enhancement of the Afghan Capacity for Effective
Development (PEACE).
REFERENCES
[1] Water Resource Development in Northern Afghanistan and
Its Implications for Amu.
[2] Underground aqueduct handbook edited by Andreas N.
Angelakis, Eustathios Chiotis, Saeid Eslamian, Herbert
Weingartner.
[3] Water Sector Strategy of Afghanistan (Water Resource
Management 2007/08-2012/13).
[4] (USGS FS-3031, 2006).
[5] Afghanistan Oil and Gas Resources, Ministry of Mines and
Petroleum
[6] Oil in Afghanistan, Pajhwok Afghan News, Special Mines
Page. Available online.
[7] Assessment of Undiscovered Petroleum Resources of
Southern and Western Afghanistan, 2009. USGS
[8] Interpretation of regional gravity and magnetic data over
southwest Afghanistan. Drenth, B.J., and Finn, C.A., 2008.
[9] Minerals in Afghanistan, Ministry of Mines and petroleum,
available online.
[10] Central statistic Organization of Afghanistan http://cso.gov.af
online available.
[11] Poverty in Afghanistan Result Based on ALCS 2016-2017
July 2018 Report No: AUS000426.
[12] World bank national account data and, OECD national
account data files. Available online.
[13] Applicability of IRIC (Nays2DFlood) for the Prediction of
Flash Flood Inundation Area of Balkhab River. Proceedings
of ISER 149th International Conference, Kyoto, Japan, 9th -
10th August 2018
[14] A Brief History of Natural Gas in Afghanistan. Ministry of
mines and petroleum. http://mom.gov.af/en available online.