Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe total cost of the project has risen from $2.8 billion to $5 billion due to changes in extraction technologies and methods.
The contracting company for the Mes Aynak copper project in Logar province has announced efforts to begin practical operations on the project this year.
According to company officials, the delay in launching the project has been primarily due to insecurity and the presence of archaeological remains. The company says it has so far invested over $430 million in the mine.
It further states that 400 Afghan workers are currently employed in the project, and once extraction begins, around 4,000 job opportunities will be created.
Deng Guoping, a representative of MCC (Metallurgical Corporation of China), said: “The company has already invested more than US$430 million, but had not any income. Being suffering loss of the minerals and facing the challenges of huge increasement of the investment because of the protection of the cultural heritage, so how could the company get benefit from that? This point reminds the company of the importance to pay more attention on telling the truth.”
The total cost of the project has risen from $2.8 billion to $5 billion due to changes in extraction technologies and methods.
MCC states that the road leading to the Mes Aynak mine is nearing completion, and efforts to launch practical operations have entered a new phase.
According to the company, power supply through the Bagh Dara hydropower project is also being planned, and serious efforts are underway to commence copper extraction this year.
Deng Guoping added: “Now, the project is just very close to the start point of a new area, and the company is ready to start the construction in this year if the follow-up procedures with the government go smoothly.”
The project was awarded to China’s MCC under a 30-year contract; however, nearly 17 years later, it has yet to reach the extraction phase.
Company officials cite security challenges, archaeological remains, landmines, and lack of infrastructure as key reasons for the delay.
However, some experts criticize the contractor’s performance, arguing that significant progress could have been made over the past 17 years.
Abdul Ghafar Nezami, an economic expert, said: “This contract has been in place for about 17 years. Major issues that stall large-scale projects should be anticipated from the outset.”
Another expert, Abdul Basir Tahraki, said: “Work expected to be completed within four years unfortunately was not carried out. Political factors played a role. If China is serious about extraction, it must act decisively.”
The Mes Aynak project is more than just a mining venture, it offers a vision for economic growth, infrastructure development, technical capacity building, and the preservation of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage.
According to geological studies, the mine contains over 12 million tons of high-grade copper ore.