6 DEC, 2012, RAKHI MAZUMDAR, ET BUREAU
KOLKATA: Afghanistan will invite global bids for developing four new iron ore and copper deposits, including a greenfield iron ore mine at Fiyadara estimated to hold half a billion tonnes of reserves in early 2013.
It is also expected to invite companies to pitch for lucrative copper field at North Aynak that hold nearly 8-10 million tonne reserves.
"Indian companies have good potential and they are competitive. We expect to attract both public and private companies from India to participate in the forthcoming bids in a big way," the country's mines minister Wahidullah Shahrani said on the sidelines of the Global Mining Summit 2012 being organized by CII.
The minister's announcement comes just days before the Afghan government is due to complete the process of evaluating detailed bids for copper and gold assets at Shaida deposit.
A clutch of public and private sector companies, including Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Hindustan Copper, National Aluminium Company (Nalco), MECL, Monnet Ispat & Energy, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, have been shortlisted along with Chinese, British and US firms.
"I am not part of the evaluation committee and hence I cannot comment on it. All I can say is we will announce it soon," he said, when asked about the prospects of Indian companies.
Last year, a consortium of six Indian companies had bagged the rights to mine some 2 billion tonnes of iron ore at Hajigak by committing to build a six million tonne steel plant at an investment of over $10 billion, edging out competition from US, the UK and Canadian firms.
"The Indian consortium will start work on the Hajigak project in January 2013," Sharani said.
"The two countries share strong historical, strategic and civilisational ties to which deep economic ties are now being added. Mining will be the foundation for efficient relations between the two countries which signed bilateral agreements for co-operation in steel, coal, fertilizers cement and oil & gas sectors, last month," the Afghan minister said.
Shahrani said Afghanistan is considered as the last frontier in mineral exploration especially for copper, gold, iron ore, lithium, molybdenum and rare earth minerals.
"India's demand for minerals is being fuelled by its growing construction, infrastructrre and power generation sector. Our country can be a major source of raw materials for this, with the mining sector tipped to contribute nearly 40% to the country's GDP by 2024," he said.
KOLKATA: Afghanistan will invite global bids for developing four new iron ore and copper deposits, including a greenfield iron ore mine at Fiyadara estimated to hold half a billion tonnes of reserves in early 2013.
It is also expected to invite companies to pitch for lucrative copper field at North Aynak that hold nearly 8-10 million tonne reserves.
"Indian companies have good potential and they are competitive. We expect to attract both public and private companies from India to participate in the forthcoming bids in a big way," the country's mines minister Wahidullah Shahrani said on the sidelines of the Global Mining Summit 2012 being organized by CII.
The minister's announcement comes just days before the Afghan government is due to complete the process of evaluating detailed bids for copper and gold assets at Shaida deposit.
A clutch of public and private sector companies, including Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Hindustan Copper, National Aluminium Company (Nalco), MECL, Monnet Ispat & Energy, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, have been shortlisted along with Chinese, British and US firms.
"I am not part of the evaluation committee and hence I cannot comment on it. All I can say is we will announce it soon," he said, when asked about the prospects of Indian companies.
Last year, a consortium of six Indian companies had bagged the rights to mine some 2 billion tonnes of iron ore at Hajigak by committing to build a six million tonne steel plant at an investment of over $10 billion, edging out competition from US, the UK and Canadian firms.
"The Indian consortium will start work on the Hajigak project in January 2013," Sharani said.
"The two countries share strong historical, strategic and civilisational ties to which deep economic ties are now being added. Mining will be the foundation for efficient relations between the two countries which signed bilateral agreements for co-operation in steel, coal, fertilizers cement and oil & gas sectors, last month," the Afghan minister said.
Shahrani said Afghanistan is considered as the last frontier in mineral exploration especially for copper, gold, iron ore, lithium, molybdenum and rare earth minerals.
"India's demand for minerals is being fuelled by its growing construction, infrastructrre and power generation sector. Our country can be a major source of raw materials for this, with the mining sector tipped to contribute nearly 40% to the country's GDP by 2024," he said.
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