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Originally posted by MGupta

Trillion dollar mineral find in war torn Afghanistan
Afghanistan the Next Richest country in world
http://www.imagesofasia.com/html/pakistan/images/large/indo-afghan-border.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.imagesofasia.com/html/pakistan/images/large/indo-afghan-border.jpg" />

Since India investing billions dollors in Afghanistan so definitley india & Indians 'll going to get benefits from it.
may be soon we 'll need to apply for a Afghan visa or may be PR

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A US survey has uncovered at least $US1 trillion ($A1.18 trillion) in mineral deposits in Afghanistan, officials say, but there are doubts as to how the war-torn and graft-prone country can manage the windfall.

The study by US geologists found Afghanistan had reserves of valuable minerals on a much larger scale than previously believed, a Pentagon spokesman says.

The value of the minerals - including lithium, iron, gold, niobium and cobalt - was estimated at nearly $US1 trillion, according to the study. But that was a conservative estimate, Colonel Dave Lapan told reporters on Monday.
There's also an indication that even the trillion-dollar figure underestimates what the true potential might be," he said.

President Hamid Karzai said in January the deposits could help the impoverished nation become one of the richest in the world, based on preliminary findings of the United States Geological Survey.

In the past few months, US officials have briefed Afghan leaders on the final results of the study, which followed an initial assessment by geologists in 2007, the Pentagon said.
The studies were part of a US government effort designed to assist Afghanistan build up viable industries, and advisers were working with the Kabul government to attract "world-class" mining companies, Lapan said.

The Afghan ministry of mines said the mineral wealth offered great promise.

"The natural resources of Afghanistan will play a magnificent role in Afghanistan's economic growth," said Jawad Omar, spokesman for the country's ministry of mines and industries.

The study found Afghanistan's potential lithium deposits are as large of those of Bolivia, which has the world's largest known reserves of the lightweight metal, used to make batteries for mobile phones and laptops.

Afghanistan has so much of the coveted metal it could become the "Saudi Arabia of lithium", according to a Pentagon document, quoted by the New York Times, which first reported the findings.

The iron and copper deposits are also large enough to make Afghanistan one of the world's top producers, US officials said.

"There is stunning potential here," General David Petraeus, head of US Central Command which oversees Afghanistan, told the Times. "There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant."

Little of the minerals have been exploited because the country has been mired in conflict for three decades, and is today embroiled in an insurgency by Islamist militants led by the Taliban.

A new minerals rush could pit US and Chinese interests against each other. Some critics in Washington grumble that China is reaping rewards from the copper mine while US troops are fighting and dying in the war against the Taliban
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/12/xin_2521106121650203417730.jpg" border="0" alt="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/12/xin_2521106121650203417730.jpg" />

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http://www.smh.com.au/world/trillion-dollar--mineral-find-in-war-torn-afghanistan-20100615-yalz.html" target="_blank">http://www.smh.com.au/world/trillion-dollar--mineral-find-in-war-torn-afghanistan-20100615-yalz.html</a>

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1 Trillion $ is not a large amount for a country. you have to remember that mining is a slow process and this 1 Trillion doolar of minerals will be mined in the next 25 to 50 years. So dont jump to speculation.

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You know you are a desi when ........ You spew forth the virtues of India, but don't want to live there...............You've never had a tanning salon membership

Afghanistan will stay same only politician and business mans will become more rich. Medium class in any county will not get any advantage from any prospect.