KABUL): A Ministry of Mines official said on Saturday contracts for the development of four key minefields could not be signed, pending parliamentary approval of a draft law.
Preliminary work on local and foreign investment in the mines in northeastern, northern, central and southern parts of the country had been completed, an advisor to the Ministry of Mines, Mohammad Asif Frozan, told Pajhwok Afghan News.
Hoping the projects would bring in more than $20 billion in foreign investment, he said the projects were ready to be opened for bidding to Afghan and foreign companies, but they were waiting for the parliament to pass a new law on mines.
The sites are a gold mine in Jurm district of Badakhshan, a copper mine in the Khumabad district of Sar-i-Pul, the Hajigak iron mine in Bamyan and the Zarkashan gold mine in the Maqur district of Ghazni.
Companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, India, Poland and some local firms are expected to participate in the bidding process, said Frozan, who added Dari versions of the mining law had been sent to the Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice two months ago.
A Pashto through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, he said, adding it would be ready for approval by the lower house by the end of this week.
The new draft law, having 19 chapters and 112 articles, has been approved by the Cabinet in February and returned it to the Ministry of Mines with some recommendations. So far 1400 mineral sites have been identified across the country.
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