U.S. Army Capt. Benjamin Fitting, Provincial Reconstruction Team Panjshir executive officer and a Burlington, Iowa, resident, listens to Shiekh Ahmad, Panjshir Marble mine manager, talk about some of the different types of marble the company cuts. There are 16 different colors of marble mined in Panjshir. Marble mining could be a multi-million dollar business for the region. Photo by 2nd Lt. Jason Smith

There are hundreds of millions of dollars worth of marble in the Panjshir province, and some Afghan entrepreneurs are working with the U.S. Agency for International Development and Provincial Reconstruction Team Panjshir to develop the industry.

According to Curtis Rose, USAID field development officer with PRT Panjshir, marble is currently being mined in the Anaba, Rokha, Dara and Khenj Districts of the province, but the profits are a small fraction of their potential.

“There are some issues right now with being able to mine,” said Rose. “First, there are some problems with the land rights. Who owns the land? How can you lease the land? Also, you have to be a registered company. Finally, the Ministry of Mines, which only allows a three-year lease for a mine, charges high export taxes.”

Rose said the only way to meet the requirements of becoming a legitimate mine is to have outside investment. And outside investment requires complying with all standards a difficult task for mine owners.

“The mining is primitive now,” said Rose. “The miners really need a new skill set, but every time someone gets trained, they go to another country for more money.

“There are three entrepreneurs who run the Panjshir Marble mine, and they want to train and keep miners,” he said. “They understand mining techniques and mining safety, but they can’t get investment without a business plan and without complying with all standards.”

Rose said business plans are a new idea in the Panjshir province, and USAID is getting involved by bringing in experts who can teach international business methods.

Shiekh Ahmad, one of the entrepenuers said the Panjshir Marble mine is pushing out about 30,000 meters of marble per year.

“We get 3,000 to 5,000 afghani per meter, depending on the type of marble,” said Ahmad. “We are the only mine company in Panjshir. We have more than 10 mines we operate.”

Currently, the miners cut the marble here by primitive means and take it to Kabul to sell, said Rose. They have contracts with businesses in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Italy, the United States and Russia.

Afghan workers cut raw marble at the Panjshir Marble mine in the Panjshir province, Afghanistan. Some Afghan entrepreneurs are working with the U.S. Agency for International Development and Provincial Reconstruction Team Panjshir to develop the industry. Photo by Jim Hoffman

“This has the potential to create a lot of jobs here,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Curtis Velasquez, PRT Panjshir commander. “If the people here are able to cut, design and polish the marble, there is opportunity for increased profits. The only industry in Panjshir right now is agriculture, and this could open a whole new industry.”

The first step to opening the industry is transportation, said Rose. The main road through the valley, a USAID and PRT project, is the only way the mine owners can get their goods to Kabul.

“None of this would be possible without the road that USAID and the PRT have built and are continuing to build in the north,” said Rose. “The road was the first step to getting to all of the resources here. In addition to marble, there are gems, iron and granite that can be mined.”

As the mining business expands, USAID and the PRT want to make sure it’s done in the right ecological way, said Velasquez.

“It’s going to take education, safety and mindfulness,” said Velasquez. “The Panjshir River provides water to 14 million people. We need to teach proper mining with the watershed plan in the forefront to protect the water source.”

There are 16 different colors of marble mined in Panjshir. Ultimately, Rose said he would like to see the local mine owners have the people and equipment to properly mine and polish the marble.

DVIDS
Story by 2nd Lt. Jason Smith

A couple of kilometres north of Qala-e-Naw in Badghis province, the Earth gives one of her few gifts to this country.

Early in the morning during this time of year, the noise of people and vehicles — trucks and small motorcycles loaded at their maximum capacity — can be heard from Qala-e-Naw to the near forests. The pistachio may be the most important natural resources in Afghanistan. The gathering, in the extensions of pistachio forest, is traditionally free for anyone who wants to venture to it, not only for the citizens of the province but of the whole country.

The pistachio campaign is the most important socio-economic event of the year for the province, with its 90,000 hectares of pistachio forests. In addition to providing local families sustenance for several months, the shells from the annual pistachio crop are burned for heat during the winter.

The Afghan government in Badghis has noticed an increasing problem: uncontrolled exploitation of this resource. The massive arrival of people is occurring earlier in the season every year, not allowing the crop to mature appropriately.

To help, ISAF’s nearby Spanish Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is assisting the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police with restricting access to pistachios forests before the official authorization. This also promotes the repopulation of the plantation.

According to Badghis Governor Mohammad Ashraf Naseri, the PRT’s contribution is fundamental for the region’s security. He is also hopefully that, with the Spanish PRT’s help, it may be possible to bring electricity to the population, avoiding the cutting of the pistachio forests for firewood during the winter.

ISAF