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MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN 2021 momp.gov.af1
MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 7
GOLD 8
COPPER 15
PORPHYRY CU-MO-AU 22
CHROMITE 25
IRON ORES 28
LEAD & ZINC 36
MAGNESITE/TALC 42
FLUORSPAR 48
GEMSTONES 52
LIMESTONE/CEMENT 56
DIMENSION STONE 58
MARBLES 62
TENDERING PROCESS 68
REFERENCES 71
Shah Foladi Geology Park, Bamyan — Photo Credit: Dr. Hassan Malestani
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addressed to the Public Relations Directorate, Ministry of Mines and Petroleum,
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Mining
Sector
Compiled by Roadmap
Hussaindad Shafai
Abdullah Asifi
Qasim Akbar
+
Designed by REFORM STRATEGY
E X T R ACT I VE I N DU ST R I E S
Rohola Rezaei
2019 momp.gov.af
Cover photograph
Mountain patterns in Afghanistan
Photo Credit: Michael Foley/Flickr
© 2021 Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
All rights reserved
4 5
MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN
INTRODUCTION
Afghanistan is endowed with abundant natural resources that remain
largely untapped. The country has world-class deposits of iron ore,
copper, gold, rare-earth minerals, and a host of other natural resources.
Similarly, the presence of petroleum resources has long been known in
Afghanistan but these resources were exploited only to a limited extent.
Bulk metals, such as iron ore, copper, aluminum, tin, lead and zinc, are
located in multiple areas of the country. And, gemstones, rare-earth
metals, sulfur, talc, gypsum and chromite, are predominant across
Central Afghanistan, Baghlan, Kunduz, Logar, Khost, among other
places.
Much of the petroleum resource potential of Afghanistan and all of the
crude oil and natural gas reserves are in northern Afghanistan, located
in parts of two petroliferous geologic basins – the Amu Darya Basin to
the west and the Afghan Tajik Basin to the east.
The Government of Afghanistan sees Afghanistan’s vast mineral and
hydrocarbon resources as a catalyst of long-term economic growth.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) designed
several consequential documents, including the Mining Sector
Roadmap, a new Minerals Law, and a new Hydrocarbons Law as part of
its commitments to open the mining and hydrocarbon sectors for
private investment.
To sustainably utilize our natural resources, the Ministry of Mines and
Petroleum intends to tender new large-scale mining and hydrocarbon
projects. The ministry is rigorously focused on attracting domestic and
foreign investors to exploit Afghanistan’s plethora of mineral and
hydrocarbon resources. This document will focus on the bankable
investment opportunities in the mining sector which are ready for
tendering.
Band-e-Amir National Park, Bamyan — Photo Credit: Dr. Hassan Malestani
6 7
MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Gold
GOLD
Orogenic Gold Deposits DEPOSIT PROFILE 1
Potential for shear-zone vein-gold Deposit Name Vekadur
mineralisation exists along the
Location Badakhshan Province
major trans-crustal structural
breaks representing remnant Deposit Style Orogenic / Metamorphic lode gold
terrane collisional boundaries. Host geology Silicified and ochreous brecciated schist, diabase and keratophyre dykes in vicinity (Proterozoic)
Background Soviet-Afghan teams, and have the Neo-Tethys Ocean between the Gold potential also occurs within Ore minerals Gold, arsenopyrite, galena, chalcopyrite and scheelite
Gold has been worked in been largely unexplored. Indo-Pakistan and Eurasian plates Phanerozoic rocks in moderate Deposit geology Podiform orebody average 2m thick and 300m extent. Traced for 100m down dip
Afghanistan from ancient times The reports of the earlier Soviet produced the Himalayan orogeny. to gently dipping fault/suture Estimated Resources 960 kg contained gold at grade of 4.1g/t Au, 46.7g/t Ag
and small-scale artisanal mining exploration are now available in During this oblique collision zones related to continental
is still being carried out on placer Kabul. BGS and USGS have NW-directed subduction occurred margin collisional tectonism. Information: Abdullah et al. 2008; Peters et al. 2011
gold deposits in Takhar Province. published summaries of the beneath the Tirin-Argandab zone Suture zones characterised by
There are a number of other geology and re-interpreted the and a number of calc-alkaline ophiolitic remnants between
prospects, which have been earlier data in the light of remote granite bodies were intruded, diverse assemblages of island
evaluated by Soviet and Afghan sensed information (Peters et al., accompanied by porphyry copper- arcs, subduction complexes
teams in the 1970’s and there is a 2007 and 2011). gold mineralisation of the Tethyan and continental margin clastic
high probability that some of these Metallogenic Belt (TMB). Further wedges are also prospective. The
could be developed into working Afghanistan has a complex geology north in Badakhshan there are a zone of late Hercynian folding
mines. Improved exploration due to its position on the junction number of prospects and on the eastern end of the North
methods and modern between the Indo-Pakistan and occurrences of metamorphic lode Afghan platform, in the provinces
metallogenetic models, coupled Eurasian crustal plates. Its geology gold in areas of Hercynian and of Badakhshan and Takhar, are
with knowledge that Afghanistan is composed of a series of terranes later Cimmerian folding. This zone prospective for shear-zone gold Figure 2. Geological map
lies on a continuation of the that broke away from the main may extend southward into mineralisation, with a number of the Vekadur gold deposit.
Tethyan Metallogenic Belt, have Gondwana Supercontinent before Parwan as shown in Figure 1 and of deposits identified to date, Red hatched areas are zones
greatly improved the potential of colliding, with each other or, with even further to the west associated including the Vekadur Au-Ag of crushing and hydrothermal
the country. Several areas of the the Eurasian Plate. Ultimately, all with folding related to the closure deposit (Figure 2 and Deposit Profile alteration in Proterozoic quartz-
country have potential for new the terranes became accreted onto of Palaeo-Tethys along the Herat 1). The Vekadur gold deposit has mica (light brown and grey)
deposit types, such as fine-grained the southern margin of the terrane boundary. been explored by five adits, eight and chlorite schists (pale blue)
epithermal gold, not sought by the Eurasian plate. The final closure of pits, and 10 or more trenches Red outline shows gold heavy
(Gugenev et al., 1967). The adits mineral anomalies (after Peters
are excavated from the hanging et al., 2011).
wall west of the outcrop of the
vein and tunnel eastward into
the mountain. There is little
overburden in the hanging wall
side of the vein and the deposit
could be worked as an open pit.
No modern exploration has been
A number of other occurrences are carried out in the Badakhshan
known in the Ragh District and, region since the 1960’s.
like Vekadur, are found in shatter
zones containing gold-bearing Other prospective districts such
quartz veins with a low-sulphide as Baharak and Fayzabad as well
mineral content. These features as having lode gold deposits,
are common to a number of Figure 3. Afghanistan Geological Survey field also contain iron skarns some of
productive cratons where several work conducted in 2010 at Furmorah gold which contain gold. The Furmorah
Figure 1. Gold occurrences in Afghanistan on hundred small deposits of about prospect, Fayzabad district, including prospect pluton is surrounded by several
a low-resolution Landsat image, with areas of one tonne of gold are present as evaluation and trench digging. Photographs by iron skarns, one of which grades
enhanced gold and mercury potential (after structurally controlled stockworks the Afghanistan Geological Survey (Figure 3c as much as 3.3g/t Au.
Peters et al., 2007). and massive veins. Peters et al., 2011).
8 9
Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Gold Gold
Placer Gold that while being the respected enabling the resource envelope zones from ASTER and aeromagnetic
Small-scale placer gold mining industry standard for terraces to be identified and the dredge anomalies. Within them two deposits,
appears to have been conducted and dryish floodplains are known envelope to be calculated. The Zarkashan in the north and Kundalyan
in the streams and rivers of the to systematically lose most of the appropriate method of mining in the south, have been investigated by
Hindu Kush for many centuries gold when used in waterlogged would be a civil engineering detailed sampling, trenching and drilling.
and continues locally today in ground such as wet floodplains. cutter-suction dredge pumping
both placers and paleoplacers in This fact has been known for the overburden away to raise flat
Takhar Province. Reports persist many decades in the Russian land several kilometres away ZARKASHAN
of local people putting sheepskins placer gold industry. so creating a large dredge pond
in mountain streams in to hold a large mineral dredge The Zarkashan area of interest surrounds
Badakhshan Province to serve as Samti Gold Dredge Resource such as a Russian, Dutch or USA the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Zarkashan
fleece sluices capable of catching An outstanding success was bucket-line dredge with on-board diorite, granodiorite to adamellite
fine gold, reminiscent of tales of the systematic proving of a wash-plant to recover the gold. intrusion and consists of a number of
the 'Golden Fleece'. resource of 30 tonnes of placer Accordingly a modified German gold and copper occurrences (Figures
gold by churn drilling on the Ruhr grab dredge may be an 6 and 7). The deposit is hosted by the
Soviet and Afghan geologists active floodplain of the Amu attractive alternative, having Triassic and Cretaceous sediments and
undertook the first industrial- Darya near the village of Samti a reach of more than twice the is associated with garnet-vesuvianite-
scale exploration for placer gold in Takhar Province. The United depth of the placer gold. Finally a diopside and with irregular zones of
and made some major discoveries States Geological Survey confirms large civil cutter suction dredge diopside skarns. The mineralisation
(Galchenko et al., 1972), notably the manual Soviet estimated might be considered, having the consists of chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite,
Samti, Nuruba, Chah-i-Ab and resource of 30 tonnes, which is merit of wide availability and chalcocite, bornite, and native gold
Jar Bolshi and a large number of large by current world standards. lower cost, albeit at some peril of in the hydrothermally altered skarns.
smaller occurrences (Figure 4). Nevertheless it is believed to be a losing some gold. Preliminary exploration, including rock
substantial underestimate of the sampling, trenching and underground
It is clear the grades and extent true magnitude of the Samti gold Discovery of Other Deposits of adits, has indicated the presence of
of the placer gold has been resource. Placer Gold several ore-bearing zones of 400-600m
underestimated by the Soviet There is large potential for further long and 1-15m thick, with lenticular
geologists due to limitations in the The heavy gold losses of Soviet discoveries of large placer gold and nest-shaped bodies of 1.5-50m long
Soviet exploration methods: churn drills was familiar to Soviet deposits on the Afghan side of and 0.5-3.8m thick. Gold mineralisation
placer geologists, and indeed the Amu Darya river, as well as is traceable for 80m down dip, assaying
Firstly, it is apparent the Soviet- the remains of an unused Soviet discovery of large extensions of from 0.10 to 16g/t Au. Category C1+C2
driven exploration effort was bucket drill has been identified at the Samti placer itself. Drilling resources are 7,775kg and speculative
limited to areas with good water the AGS Khair Khana Engineering on wet floodplains must only be resources are 12,000 to 15,000kg of Figure 4. Geological map of northern Takhar showing
supplies in order to facilitate wet Warehouse. A Soviet-Canadian done with Russian bucket drills contained gold. Copper grades vary the distribution of Neogene and Quaternary strata and
washing of the placer ores by data set of more than 1,000 to ensure gold grades are reliable from 0.01 to 15%. Recent sampling by major gold placers (hatched lines). Colored circles are
wash-plants such as PgSh sluices boreholes in Mongolia proved the and gold losses avoided. USGS (Peters et al., 2011) has shown that placer gold occurrences from earlier authors. (Peters et
that require water cannons. gold recovery of Soviet bucket disseminated mineralisation is extensive al., 2011).
Accordingly, less than 10% of drills to be close to 100%, while Copper-Gold Porphyry Deposits within a large contact aureole zone and
Afghanistan was explored for Soviet churn drills usually lost The Soviet-Afghan teams holds potential for large, medium to low
placer gold. Indeed, no evidence more than 65% of the gold in the identified a number of Cu-Au grade ore bodies that are amenable to
has been found of drywashers same wet ground (Grayson 2014). prospects and occurrences in the bulk mining and ore processing methods,
having been used for prospecting Applying the correction factor to Tirin-Argandab zone which forms during this period of prevailing high
for placer gold in Afghanistan. the Samti churn drilling indicates part of the Tethyan Metallogenic copper and gold price. DEPOSIT PROFILE 2
This is being remedied in 2014 that the actual gold resource is Belt (Figure 1) of world-class A number of other prospects, such as
Deposit Name Zarkashan
with the introduction of USA likely to be in the region of 100 porphyry copper-gold deposits, Zardak, Dynamite, Choh-i-Surkh and Sufi
drywashers by the USAID MIDAS tonnes, with an in-the-ground which stretches from Europe, Kademi, around the Zarkashan intrusive Location Ghazni Province
project, and making by the value of about 4 billion USD, which through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, are also highly prospective for porphyry Deposit Style Porphyry Cu-Au and related Skarn
Ministry of small recirculating would rank Samti among the Afghanistan, Tibet and into SE copper gold deposits and worthy of Late Triassic dolomites in the contact zones of the Zarkashan gabbro, monzonite
Host geology
sluices based on a USA design largest gold dredge projects in the Asia. The prospective tracts have further investigation. Peters et al., and syenite intrusion
that requires minimal water. world. A limited programme of been identified by a distinctive (2007) predicted that in the Zarkashan- Ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite and gold
repeat drilling by a Russian bucket group of Cretaceous-Paleocene Kundalyan tract there is a high probability Skarns occur in pockets or as sheetlike deposits. Several ore-bearing zones occur
Deposit geology
Secondly, the Soviet drillers used drill would suffice to confirm the intrusive rocks that are spatially (50%) of one porphyry copper-gold 400– 600m long and 11–75m wide. The richest gold is found in phlogopite skarns
numerous placer drilling rigs of a appropriate correction factor to related to the known Cu skarn deposit and a 10% probability of two Estimated
7.7t Gold contained in C1 and C2 categories
single type—Soviet churn drills— be applied to the gold grade, so deposits and prospects, alteration deposits. Resources
10 11
Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Gold Gold
Figure 5. Placer gold stained siliceous skarn and A
deposit consisting porphyroblastic marble also are
of alluvial sand and common in the mineralised zone.
conglomerate of the Panj Despite the extensive trenching
River. and the boreholes in the main
zone there seems to have been
intrusive intruding little exploration of colluvium
Precambrian, covered areas to west and east.
Cambrian, and Several copper and copper-
Carboniferous gold and gold prospects and
limestone. occurrences are present
The skarn peripheral to or away from the
zone contains main Kundalyan copper-gold
brecciated, skarn deposit. Prospects generally
KUNDALYAN stromatolitic limestone and cluster near and around the
contains large areas of layered Kundalyan group of deposits in
The Kundalyan copper-gold calc-silicate rock related to skarn these areas: Kaptarghor, Shela-i-
skarn deposit is localized along formation and metasomatic Surkh, Baghawan-Garangh, Kunar
a 400-metre long, 1.5km wide kaolin-carbonate rock. Malachite- and Chasu-Ghumbad. Further
wide inlier that consists of altered details can be found in Peters et
limestone, chert, and skarn (Peters al., (2011).
et al., 2011 after Soviet authors). Figure 6. Three-dimensional view of the
The chief minerals in the skarn Zarkashan copper and gold area of interest Hot-spring epithermal gold
are pyroxene, garnet, amphibole, showing hyperspectral anomalies surrounding deposits have not been
phlogopite, and magnetite. the Zarkashan intrusive (white outline). The positively identified but there
Mineralisation is present both in blue and purple zones represent alteration are indications that they may be
skarn and chert. There are 13 ore zones with goethite and jarosite. These present in the epithermal mercury
bodies along the Kundalyan Fault alteration zones are coincident with anomalous zone of central Afghanistan and
Zone (Figure 8A) that are from gold areas from earlier Soviet sampling (Peters Katawaz basin (Figure 1).
2.65 to 12.3m thick and from 36 et al., 2011). B
to 175m long, containing 0.62-
1.2% Cu and 0.5-2.0g/t Au. The
mineralisation is predominately
chalcopyrite and pyrite and more
seldom sphalerite, gray copper Figure 7. Geological map of the Zarkashan area showing the mineralised areas (bedrock gold
ore, and enargite. The Category anomalies in red) surrounding the Zarkashan pluton (lighter shades of red). (Peters et al., 2011).
C1+C2 reserves in the Soviet
classification system, are 13,600
t of contained copper and 1.1t
gold at grades of 1.07% Cu and
0.9g/t Au. The Kundalyan copper- Epithermal Gold of a very large low-temperature
gold skarn deposit area was In central Afghanistan in the hydrothermal system. Elsewhere
explored by a series of trenches, Kharnak-Kanjar area, (Figure in the world, such systems host
adits, and drill holes. Data were 9) disseminations and veinlets significant gold resources and
presented on cross sections of cinnabar accompanied by are the focus of major exploration
(Figure 8B) for about 5 km of strike carbonate, dickite and silica investment (Peters et al., 2007, Figure 8. (A) Geological map of the Kundalyan
length along a NNW-trending alteration and lesser pyrite, 2011). In the Katawaz basin area showing the ore zone (black), skarn
zone that is exposed in a valley. chalcopyrite and arsenic minerals Abdullah et al. (2008) observed (orange), kaolin-carbonate rock (grey), altered
The Kundalyan copper-gold are found in early Cretaceous telethermal (epithermal) lead, zinc, granitoids (pale blue), granodiorite (green)
deposit has been explored where calcareous rocks intruded by mercury and gold mineralisation and colluvium (pale yellow). (B) Illustrative
a northwest-striking stream has Eocene to Oligocene porphyry belonging to the orogenic (Miocene) cross section through boreholes 2 and 7 at
eroded through colluvial cover diorite dykes and volcanics. The stage of the basin's evolution. Kundalyan (key as above).
and exposed a granodioritic features indicate the presence
12 13
Mineral Resources in Afghanistan MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN
Gold
COPPER
KATAWAZ GOLD DEPOSIT PROFILE 3
Deposit Name Kundalyan
The Katawaz gold area of interest Location Zabul Province
(AOI) lies along the northwestern
Deposit Style Cu-Mo-Au-Ag skarn
margin of the Katawaz Basin in
Host geology Proterozoic and Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and cherts
eastern Afghanistan. Although no
known mineral occurrences or Chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite,sphalerite, molybdenite, chalcocite, bornite,
Ore minerals
covellite, native Cu, malachite
deposits are present in the AOI, Introduction Recent geological fieldwork by the Himalayan orogeny. During this
geologic and remote-sensing data Three deposits up to 155m long and 2.59–3.89 m thick. Mineralization restricted to hema- Copper is an essential commodity Afghanistan Geological Survey oblique collision, NW directed
Deposit geology
tite-kaolin-quartz and meta-carbonates
suggest that the environment is in today’s digital and electronic aided by international advisors subduction occurred beneath the
Estimated Resources C1+C2 resources 13600t Cu @ 1.07% Cu; 1.1t Au, @ 0.9 g/t Au; 127.3t Mo @ 0.13% Mo
conducive to the occurrence of age and in recent years has seen a has improved the knowledge of Tirin-Argandab zone and calc-
epithermal gold deposits. The dramatic increase in its value. these deposits and made the alkaline granite bodies were
Katawaz AOI encompasses 1 of the Katawaz gold AOI where system may have been active Increased demand from the information available to the global intruded, accompanied by
more than 19 geochemical halo phyllic and argillic alteration either during or after the rapidly growing developing mining industry. porphyry copper mineralization.
zones in the Katawaz Basin area zones are spatially associated development of the basin. economies of Asia has led to a rise The exotic terrane of the Kabul
that are anomalous in mercury, with Miocene plutons and Because there are no known in mineral exploration and the Geology of Afghanistan Block brought with it sedimentary
tungsten, gold and (or) lead. stocks. In addition, base-metal mineral deposits within the opening of new mines in adjacent Afghanistan has a complex copper deposits like Aynak.
Studies of Advanced Spaceborne mineralization is present along Katawaz gold AOI and because regions. Afghanistan is well placed geology due to junction position
Thermal Emission and Reflection the eastern faulted margin of the this is a speculative AOI, the to meet this demand and the between the Indo-Australasian Copper Deposits
Radiometer (ASTER) imagery Katawaz Basin. The presence area requires ground visits, Aynak copper deposit, one of the and Eurasian plates. Its geology is There are around 300 documented
have identified linear phyllic of geochemical anomalies of field mapping, and sampling to largest in Asia, is currently being composed of a series of small copper deposits, occurrences and
and argillic alteration zones mercury and hydrothermal zones authenticate remotely-sensed developed by a Chinese company. terranes that broke away from the showings in Afghanistan (Abdullah
on Cenozoic sedimentary and in the Katawaz Basin suggests indications of mineralization. The country has a wealth of other main Gondwana supercontinent and Chmyriov, 2008). A variety of
volcanic rocks within the AOI. that a mineralizing hydrothermal copper prospects, most notably a before colliding, with each other styles of copper mineralization
Mapping of the ASTER imagery number of porphyry copper or, with the Eurasian plate. occur in rocks ranging in age from
in the Katawaz gold AOI has deposits along part of the Tethyan Ultimately, all terranes accreted Proterozoic to Neogene. These
specifically identified illite, ferric Metallogenic Belt (TMB) and a onto the southern margin of the include sediment-hosted, skarn,
iron, and clay with local calcite recently discovered volcanogenic Eurasian plate. The final closure porphyry, and vein-hosted. The
and smectite along a northwest massive sulphide deposit (VMS) at of the Neo-Tethys ocean between largest and best-known copper
structure that is likely a splay of Balkhab. the Indo-Australasian and discovery in Afghanistan is the
the Chaman Fault zone. Airborne Eurasian plates produced the world-class Aynak stratabound
magnetic data also indicate 60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E
deposit hosted within Vendian-
that small igneous bodies may Cambrian quartz-biotite-dolomite
.
" "
"" "
underlie or be proximal to this Balkhab " "
metasedimentary rocks 30km
altered zone. "
BADAKHSHAN
" southeast of Kabul. Soviet surveys
JAWZJAN
BALKH
KUNDUZ
TAKHAR
"
in the 1970s and 1980s outlined
36°0'0"N
Evidence of hydrothermal Ahankashan
an indicated resource of 240Mt
36°0'0"N
mineralization occurs along grading 2.3% Cu. However,
FARYAB "
"
SAMANGAN
"
BAGHLAN
"" "
the western margin of the Afghanistan has yet to be evaluated
SARI PUL " ""
" " " " "
""
" PARWAN NURISTAN
BADGHIS "
Katawaz Basin to the south of in the light of modern mineral
KAPISA KUNAR
BAMYAN "
LAGHMAN
Legend
Shaida
deposit models and improved
KABUL
""""
"""
""" """ "
"
WARDAK "
"
""
"""
""
" NANGARHAR
"
"""
" HIRAT "" " " Provinces
analytical methods. From a
GHOR LOGAR "
""""
"" " ""
"" " " Faults
" ""
33°0'0"N
Aynak
global perspective, Afghanistan is
PAKTYA
33°0'0"N
URUZGAN " KHOST
"
""
Fault, normal, buried
" GHAZNI
" ""
" """ " " Porphyry Copper Deposits
relatively under explored and the
" "
" " " """
" " " """"
" "" "" ""
" Prospective
potential for further discoveries of
FARAH " " PAKTIKA
" " "
" "
""ZABUL
" Favorable
Permissive
copper and other minerals is high.
"
""
""
Copper Mineral Occurance
HILMAND ""
" Zarkashan
" Cu A ranking of significant known
Figure 9. Shaded relief map of deposits and prospects is given
KANDAHAR "
NIMROZ
Kundalyan
30°0'0"N
Afghanistan showing major earthquake below.
30°0'0"N
"
"
faults from Boyd and others (2007) and 0 65 130 260 390
KM
520
proximity of the Katawas gold area of
interest to the Chaman Fault.
60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E
Figure 1. Map of Afghanistan, showing major deposits and prospects, and permissive tracts for
porphyry copper deposits (ppycu01-12) (after Peters et al., 2007).
14 15
Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Copper Copper
Ranking of Known Cu Deposits DEPOSIT PROFILE 1 Figure 3. North Aynak Landsat TM enhanced color image. TM NORTH AYNAK 7.2m) mineralized zone within
1. Aynak Deposit Name Aynak bands 1-4-7 are shown in blue-green-red. Yellow outline is the Loy steeply dipping, albitized marble
2. Zarkashan Status Tendered
Khwar Formation that hosts copper deposits. Spectral analyses of Recent geological containing disseminated bornite,
3. Kundalyan ASTER and HyMap images, shows that the distinctive tan-colored mapping of the chalcopyrite, chalcocite and minor
Location Logar Province
4. Balkhab outcrops within the Loy Khwar Formation are dolomite members, North Aynak area malachite. Limited exploration
Deposit Style Stratiform Cu, metasediment-hosted
5. Shaida which host the Aynak copper deposit further south. (Bohannon, 2010) conducted at this site included
6. North Aynak Host geology Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and volcanics and interpretation 1:2,000-scale geological mapping,
7. Ahankashan Ore minerals Bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, native Cu, malachite, covellite, tenorite of high quality trenching, and geochemical
8. Darrah-i-Alansang Deposit divided into Central and Western areas. Mineralisation traced for 2km, up to 1km wide and remote sensed data sampling, and resulted in the
Deposit geology
9. Gologha 60-210m thick to max depth of 1000m (Peters et al., 2011 and calculation of a potential resource
Metal content Drill-indicated reserves >240Mt @ 2.3% Cu Department of Defense, containing 42,100 tonnes of
2011) have improved copper at an average grade of
the potential of 1.04% Cu (Kutkin and Gusev, 1977).
this area and the
Sediment-Hosted Stratiform latter estimate that
Copper Deposits more than half of Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide
the copper deposit
AYNAK could lie outside of BALKHAB
the MCC area. One
Sediment-hosted stratiform example of a known This poorly described occurrence
copper (SHSC) deposits are a large occurrence in North has been reinvestigated by
and diverse group that includes Aynak is described AGS and mapped using remote
some of the richest and largest below. The Katasang sensing data (Peters et al., 2011).
copper deposits in the world. occurrence is an The Balkhab copper volcanogenic
The largest and best-known 800m long, 3.6 to massive sulfide (VMS) prospect
copper deposit in Afghanistan 13.8m thick (average lies within the Balkhab copper
is the SHSC type Aynak deposit The resource was measured at
located in the Kabul Block 30 km 240Mt @ 2.3% Cu. Recently the
southeast of Kabul (Deposit Profile contractor MJAM exploration has
1). The deposit is of Vendian- doubled the stated resource from
Lower Cambrian age and is 5.5Mt to 11.1Mt-contained Cu.
divided into two areas, Central
Aynak and Western Aynak. The Aynak Copper project was
Mineralization is characterized by awarded in May 2008 to two
stratabound disseminated bornite Chinese state-owned companies,
and chalcopyrite in dolomite the China Metallurgical Group
marble and quartz-biotite Corporation (MCC) and the Jiangxi
dolomite schists of the Loy Khwar Copper Company Limited. The
Formation. The deposit is thought consortium later called itself
to have formed by circulating MCC-JCL Aynak Minerals (MJAM) to
hypersaline solutions leaching formally operate the project.
metals from underlying volcanic
rocks (BGS, 2005). As per the Aynak 2014 Feasibility
report, mineral resource
The Aynak Copper Deposit is a statement, resulting in the value of
well-explored resource, defined the deposit being doubled:
by extensive geological data and • MJAM 662Mt @ 1.67% Cu
preliminary feasibility study containing 11.1Mt Cu
work prepared by the Russian • RUSSIAN STUDIES 240Mt @
authorities and later on by MCC. 2.3% Cu containing 5.5Mt Cu
The deposit has known to be truly Figure 4. Anomalous zones (1-7) determined from Landsat TM alteration patterns in the Balkhab
"world class," being regarded copper area (Peters et al., 2011).
as the second-largest known,
unmined deposit in the world Figure 2. Geological sketch map and sections of the Aynak copper deposit. The deposit is hosted
and of exceptionally high grade. by the Loy Khwar formation shown in blue (BGS 2005).
16 17
Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Copper Copper
DEPOSIT PROFILE 2 DEPOSIT PROFILE 3
Deposit Name Balkhab Deposit Name Zarkashan
Location Sari-i-Pul Province Location Ghazni Province
Deposit Style Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Deposit Style Porphyry Cu-Au and related Skarn
Host geology Ordovician schist and phyllite with bimodal felsic volcanics Host geology Late Triassic dolomites in the contact zones of the Zarkashan gabbro, monzonite and syenite intrusion
Ore minerals Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, bornite, galena, malachite, azurite Ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcocite, bornite and gold
Copper mineralisation consists of a silicified limonite-bearing zone 4 to 5m long by 300 to 400m Deposit Skarns occur in pockets or as sheetlike deposits. Several ore-bearing zones occur 400– 600m long and
Deposit geology
wide geology 11–75m wide. The richest gold is found in phlogopite skarns
Figure 5. Malachite- and azurite-coated Metal content Zone grades 0.25 to 1.34% Cu but no estimate of tonnage Metal content 7.7t Gold contained in C1 and C2 categories
phyllite from Balkhab copper prospect (Peters
et al., 2011). alteration zones from ASTER and granodiorite to adamellite and nest-shaped bodies of 1.5-
aeromagnetic anomalies. Within intrusion and consists of a 50m long and 0.5-3.8m thick.
them two deposits, Zarkashan in number of gold and copper Gold mineralization is traceable
area of interest and is part of an the north and Kundalyan in the occurrences (Figures 6 and 7). for 80m down dip, assaying from
eroded inlier of deformed pre- south, have been investigated by The mineralization consists of 0.10 g/tonne to 16 g/tonne gold.
Triassic, mainly Ordovician rocks, detailed sampling, trenching and chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, Category C1+C2 resources contain
in Sar-i-Pul Province. It lies in drilling. chalcocite, bornite, and native 7,775kg Au and speculative
a canyon unconformably below gold in the hydrothermally altered resources are 12 to 15 tonnes of
horizontal Mesozoic sedimentary skarns. Preliminary exploration, gold. Copper grades vary from
rocks (Peters et al., 2011). Copper including rock sampling, 0.01 to 15%. Recent sampling by
mineralization consists of a ZARKASHAN trenching and underground adits, USGS (Peters et al., 2011) has shown
silicified limonite-bearing zone The Zarkashan Area of Interest indicates the presence of several that extensive, disseminated
4,000 to 5,000m long by 300 surrounds the Late Cretaceous- ore-bearing zones 400-600m long mineralization is present in the
to 400m wide of deformed and Paleocene Zarkashan diorite, and 1-15m thick, with lenticular large contact (hornfels) zones
faulted rock that contains at least indicating large medium- to
four areas of extensive malachite, low-grade ore bodies that are
azurite, pyrite, and disseminated amenable to modern excavation
chalcopyrite, bornite, and galena methods at current gold and
grading from 0.25 to 1.34% Cu. copper prices.
Remote sensing studies suggest A number of other prospects,
that the mineralization may such as Zardak, Dynamite, Choh-
extend for over 40km (Figure 4). i-Surkh and Sufi Kademi, around
the Zarkashan intrusive are also
Copper Porphyry Deposits highly prospective for porphyry
Soviet-Afghan teams identified coppergold deposits and worthy
a number of Cu-Au prospects of further investigation. Peters
and occurrences in the Tirin- et al., (2007) predicted that in the
Argandab zone and Peters et Zarkashan-Kundalyan tract there
al., (2007) defined this as their is a high probability (50%) of one
prospective tracts ppycu05-07 porphyry copper-gold deposit and
(Figure 1). The zone forms part a 10% probability of two deposits.
of the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt
of world-class porphyry copper-
gold deposits, which stretches Figure 7. Geological map of the Zarkashan area showing
from Europe, through Turkey, the mineralized areas (bedrock gold anomalies in red)
Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tibet surrounding the Zarkashan pluton (lighter shades of red).
and into SE Asia. The prospective (Peters et al., 2011).
tracts have been identified by a
distinctive group of Cretaceous- Figure 6. Three-dimensional view of the Zarkashan copper and gold area of interest showing
Paleocene intrusive rocks that hyperspectral anomalies surrounding the Zarkashan intrusive (white outline). Blue and purple
are spatially related to the known zones represent alteration zones with goethite and jarosite. These alteration zones are coincident
Cu skarn deposits and prospects, with anomalous gold areas from earlier Soviet sampling (Peters et al., 2011).
18 19Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Copper Copper
DEPOSIT PROFILE 4 A
Deposit Name Kundalyan
Location Zabul Province
Deposit Style Cu-Mo-Au-Ag skarn
Host geology Proterozoic and Vendian–Cambrian metamorphosed limestones and cherts
Chalcopyrite, magnetite, pyrite,sphalerite, molybdenite, chalcocite, bornite, covellite, native Cu,
Ore minerals
malachite
Three deposits up to 155m long and 2.59–3.89m thick. Mineralization restricted to hematite-kao-
Deposit geology
lin-quartz and meta-carbonates
Metal content C1+C2 resources 13600t Cu @ 1.07% Cu; 1.1t Au, @ 0.9 g/t Au; 127.3t Mo @ 0.13% Mo
KUNDALYAN deposit has been explored where
The Kundalyan copper-gold a northweststriking stream has
skarn deposit is localized along eroded through colluvial cover and
a 400 meter long, 1.5km wide exposed a granodioritic intrusive
inlier that consists of altered intruding Precambrian, Cambrian,
limestone, chert, and skarn and Carboniferous limestone. The
(Peters et al., 2011 after Soviet skarn zone contains brecciated,
authors). The chief minerals in stromatolitic (?) limestone and
the skarn are pyroxene, garnet, contains large areas of layered
amphibole, phlogopite, and calcsilicate rock related to skarn
magnetite. Mineralization is formation and metasomatic
present both in skarn and chert. kaolin-carbonate rock. Malachite-
There are 13 orebodies along the stained siliceous skarn and
Kundalyan Fault Zone (Figure 8A) porphyroblastic marble also are
that are between 2.65 to 12.3m common in the mineralized zone.
thick and from 36 to 175m long, Despite the extensive trenching
containing 0.62-1.2% Cu and 0.5- and the boreholes in the main SHAIDA
B
2.0 g/t Au. The mineralization is zone there seems to have been Figure 9. Geologic map and cross section of the Shaida assaying 0.27 to 3.02 % Cu and
predominately chalcopyrite and little exploration of the colluvium and Misgaran subareas. All of these sites are within heavily Shaida and its related prospect 0.02 to 0.37 % Zn The grade was
pyrite and more seldom sphalerite, covered areas to the west and east. mineralized (copper) volcanic rocks of Early Cretaceous age, Dusar lies SW of Herat in confirmed by the USGS in August
gray copper ore, and enargite. as indicated by the cross-hatch pattern. (Peters et al., 2011). permissive tract ppycu09 (Figure 2010. Based on diamond drilling
The Category C1+C2 reserves in Several copper and copper- 1). The Shaida subarea is classified the individual occurrences are 1
the Soviet classification system, gold and gold prospects and as a highly prospective copper to10m thick (average ~4m) and
were reported as 13,600 tonnes of occurrences are present porphyry deposit. The host rocks up to 2400m long. Minerals are
coppergrading 1.07% Cu and 1.1 peripheral to or away from the are early Cretaceous volcanics. pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite and
tonnes of gold grading 0.9 g/t Au. main Kundalyan copper-gold The copper mineralization minor chalcopyrite in massive
skarn deposit. Prospects generally coincides with a 200 to 300m wide, veinlets and disseminated ores
The Kundalyan copper-gold skarn cluster near and around the strongly fractured, limonitized that assay between 0.04-1.6% Cu
deposit area was explored by a Kundalan group of deposits in and kaolinitized fault zone, where (average 0.63%), between 0.09-
series of trenches, adits, and drill the Kaptarghor, Shela-i-Surkh, Figure 8. (A) Geological map of the Kundalyan area six steeply dipping mineralized 7.0% Zn (average 1.3%), between
holes. Data was presented on cross Baghawan-Garangh, Kunar and showing the ore zone (black), skarn (orange), kaolin- bodies and a Cu- pyrite gossan 0.01-0.5% Pb (average 0.08%), and
sections (Figure 8B) for about 5km Chasu-Ghumbad areas. Further carbonate rock (grey), altered granitoids (pale blue), are present. The main zone between 0.20.03 g/t Au. Potential
of strike length along a NNW- details can be found in Peters et al., granodiorite (green) and colluvium (pale yellow). (B) of mineralization, 2.6km long ore resources are estimated at 4.8
trending zone that is exposed in a (2011). Illustrative cross section through boreholes 2 and 7 at and 300 to 500m wide, consists Mt assaying 1.1% Cu and 1.2% Zn.
valley. The Kundalan copper-gold Kundalyan (key as above). of secondary copper minerals
20 21MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au
PORPHYRY CU-MO-AU
Location Geology intersected by series of faults
The prospective area is located According to the 1:500,000 scale (Figure 2). Granodiorite stocks that
about 45km northwest of the city geological map of Afghanistan host the molybdenum
of Bamyan, capital of Bamyan published by the USGS in 2007 occurrences are not shown on the
Province. The province also hosts and based on the original Soviet 1:500,000 geological map.
the world-class Hajigak Iron ore map of 1977, the granitoids
Background MOLYBDENITE IN BAMYAN Porphyry Belt. Further fieldwork deposit and abundant coal (granodiorite, granosyenite, and Based on field observations, the
Globally, one of the most PROVINCE in summer and fall of 2011 resources (Figures 1, 2 and 3). quartz monzonite) that host the Saighan area has high potential
important types of mineral revealed molybdenite associated The area of molybdenum porphyry copper and for the discovery of economic
deposits associated with During recent fieldwork by staff of with the upper Triassic (T3) mineralization occurs molybdenum are of Upper porphyry copper, gold and
subduction complexes and the Afghanistan Geological Survey granitoids, 5km to the east of the approximately 50km distance Triassic to Lower Jurassic age. The molybdenum deposits. In
continental collisions are (AGS) in the southwest reaches of brecciated zone. At two locations from the juncture of Saighan River oldest sedimentary units in the addition, there are halos of heavy
porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposits. the Saighan valley in Bamyan (Figure 3, points 1 and 2), with Dari Shikari River (Figure 2) area are limestones and dolomites fraction assessment that indicated
Often these deposits are large in Province, local villagers told them disseminated molybdenite is along which a railroad is planned of Carboniferous and Permian age presence of bismuth, copper and
resources but modest in ore grade of an exposure of soft metallic hosted in quartz-monzonite/ to be built as part of the Aynak (Figure 2). These are other metals.
and they account for world mineral after a recent landslide. granodiorite stocks (Figure 4). copper development project. At unconformably overlain by
production of more than 60% Upon investigation the AGS team the moment information is being Middle-Upper Triassic (T2-3) In addition to the molybdenum
copper, 95% molybdenum and identified a quartz-feldspar collected for the feasibility study sandstones, siltstones and mineralization, 10km to the
20% gold. brecciated zone containing NORTHERN COPPER of the railroad project by the mudstones and Upper Cretaceous northwest of the area, there are
extensive molybdenite PORPHYRY BELT developer of the Aynak copper and Paleocene (K2-P1) limestones artisanal excavation tunnels (up to
Afghanistan hosts two belts highly mineralization (Figure 2). The zone deposit. The anticipated railroad and dolomites. The Middle-Upper 30m long) indicating gold mining
prospective for porphyry style is at least 2 metres thick but as The northern belt is the western will connect Afghanistan with the Triassic and Cretaceous rocks in the recent past, exploiting
mineralization. These belts cut much of it is concealed by thick extension of the Alborz Island Arc Central Asian Republics and major form a NE-SW trending anticline auriferous quartz veins at the site.
central and SE Afghanistan landslide debris and recent occurring from Herat to Panjshir, ports on the Indian Ocean. structure in the area of
passing into the Hindu Kush and sediments, the extent of it could along the Hindu Kush in molybdenum mineralization,
southern Pamir (Figure 1). not be determined. This was the Afghanistan.
first significant discovery of Figure 2. Location of Saighan molybdenum
molybdenite in the Northern Cu and other mineral projects.
SOUTHERN COPPER
60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E
PORPHYRY BELT
.
" "
"" "
Balkhab " "
The southern belt is an extension
"
BADAKHSHAN
" of the Zagros Island Arc. This belt
JAWZJAN
BALKH
KUNDUZ
TAKHAR
"
is exposed in the Chagai Hills in
36°0'0"N
Ahankashan
Pakistan, and extends northwards
36°0'0"N
through Helmand and Khandahar
FARYAB "
"
SAMANGAN
"
BAGHLAN
SARI PUL " " "
in the south to Ghazni and Zabul
" ""
" " " " "
""
" PARWAN NURISTAN
BADGHIS "
in central Afghanistan.
KAPISA KUNAR
BAMYAN "
LAGHMAN
Legend
Shaida
Comprehensive reviews of
KABUL
""
""" """
"" "
"
"
"
" " "
WARDAK ""
""
""
"
""" NANGARHAR
" HIRAT " "" Provinces
"" "
"
Afghanistan Porphyry Belts is
GHOR LOGAR
""""
"" " ""
"" " " Faults
" ""
33°0'0"N
Aynak
given in Kafarskiy et al. 19751 and
PAKTYA
33°0'0"N
URUZGAN " KHOST
"
"" Fault, normal, buried
" GHAZNI
"" " "
" """ " Porphyry Copper Deposits
by Peters et al 2007.
" "
" " " """
" " " "" ""
" "" "" ""
" Prospective
FARAH " " PAKTIKA
" " "
" "
""ZABUL
" Favorable
"
"" Permissive
""
Copper Mineral Occurance
" Zarkashan
HILMAND "" " Cu
KANDAHAR "
NIMROZ
Kundalyan
30°0'0"N
30°0'0"N
"
"
Figure 1. Porphyry Cu belts within
KM
0 65 130 260 390 520
Afghanistan
60°0'0"E 63°0'0"E 66°0'0"E 69°0'0"E 72°0'0"E 75°0'0"E
22 23Mineral Resources in Afghanistan MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN
Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au
CHROMITE
Resource Estimation
A preliminary estimate of
molybdenum resources was made
by applying outcrop dimensions
(4,300m length, 300m width) and a
depth of 200m (taking into account
that the granite stock continues at a Background Kandahar Province associated east and south-east the complex
depth of 200m) and applying an Volin (1950) evaluated ten known with Early Cretaceous ultramafic is bounded by the Altimur Fault.
average concentration of 0.08% chromite bodies in the Logar rocks. Chromite grains were also To the north the Abparan Thrust
Mo in the ore. ultramafic body, using surface observed in concentrates from separates the allochthonous
mapping and sampling and a Kandahar Province collected ultramafic rocks from the
limited programme of shallow by the Russian reconnaissance autochthonous rocks of the Kabul
diamond drilling. He also surveys. Block.
calculated reserve figures based
Area in Block
Specification
in Figure 2
on the results of this drilling. The largest part of the ophiolite
Hunger (1955a and b) recorded THE LOGAR OPHIOLITE comprises ultramafic rocks in
Area (4,500*3) 1,350,000 m2 two further chromite localities. a sequence up to about 2,800m
Depth 200 metres Siebdrat (1971) undertook further The largest and best-known thick. The basal part comprises
surface mapping of the ultramafic chromite deposits in Afghanistan about 2,400m of dunite and
Volume 270,000,000 m3
rocks of the Logar Valley, and he are in the Logar Valley in the subordinate harzburgite, overlain
Specific weight of MoS 10.22 grams/cm3 identified 18 chromite localities in Muhammed Agha District by a thick pyroxenite about 200m
Molybdenum in ore 0.08% the Logar ophiolite (Figure 1). about 35km south of Kabul. The thick with minor intercalated
Figure 3. Quartz-monzonite mass with 15% Logar ophiolite complex has an dunite at its base. This passes up
Table 1. Saighan Molybdenum Resources disseminated molybdenite, Saighan. Abdullah (1980) in his ellipsoidal outcrop, elongated into a thin unit of troctolite and
comprehensive review of the in a north-westerly direction, pyroxenite, passing up into a 50 m
geology and mineral occurrences about 65km long and up to 45km thick gabbronorite. The chromite
of Afghanistan catalogued 15 wide. The external contacts are bodies occur predominantly in
areas of chromite mineralization mostly tectonic: the steep-dipping the harzburgite within small
scattered throughout the country, north-south Pagman Fault forms dunite pods according to Siebdrat
most in the Logar Valley, south of the western contact, while to the (Figure 1).
Kabul. The other areas include
Jurgati in Parwan Province, Werek
in Logar Province, Sperkay and
Shandal in Paktia Province. In
addition, minor occurrences of
chromite in eluvial deposits and
of small chromite lenses in situ
were reported by Abdullah in
Figure 1. Chromite occurrences in the Logar
area showing the association of the chromite
bodies with lenses of dunite within the
harzburgite (modified after Siebdrat, 1971.
Visited sites C1 and C2 are from Benham et al.,
2009).
24 25Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Chromite Chromite Resource Assessment in shallow overburden, sampling Platinum Group Element KHOST AND PAKTIA Figure 2. Geological map of the area north The chromite deposits of the by shallowercussion drilling and Potential of Logar Sperkay chromite occurrence of Kabul showing the Jurgati locality and Logar Valley (Figure 2) occur in the drilling of 27 diamond drill Benham et al. (2009) published just west of Teragharay near favorable prospective areas from Peters et al., two main groups about 10km holes with an aggregate length the only recent analyses of the border with Khost Province, (2007). apart, all bar two being on the of 975m. The diamond drilling Platinum Group Elements (PGE) consists of ten massive chromite west side of the valley. The tested three of the largest deposits in rocks of the Logar Complex. bodies are found in Eocene northern cluster is within 5km on surface and a small high grade Concentrations of PGE in the peridotite (Figure 3). north-west of Muhammad Agha. deposit, all in the northern cluster Logar chromitites are low with The chromite bodies are as much The southern cluster is close to of deposits. Volin estimated a maxima of 6.5ppb and 5.5ppb as 110m long and 1 to 10m thick. Karez-Sha-Ghazi, about 10km total resource of 181,000 tonnes, palladium. Rhodium values They assay from 43.11 to 53.48% south of Muhammad Agha. All are concentrated in three deposits are relatively high, with two Cr2O3 and from 5.57 to 7.23% Fe. within easy reach of Kabul via the (1, 2 and 5). Of this about 15% samples exceeding 10ppb. In Shandal (Shodal) chromite surfaced Kabul-Gardez road. (27,000 metric tonnes) is high grade dunites, platinum and Pd values occurrence is south west of These deposits were studied in metallurgical ore with 55.9% are generally
MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Iron Ores
IRON ORES
SYADARA IRON ORE phyllite, marble, dolomite and
metavolcanic rocks with
Large massive magnetite bodies interlayered sedimentary rocks.
were discovered by the Within the deposit area, the beds
Afghanistan Geological Survey have been deformed and are
(AGS) at Syadara during the 2010 steeply dipping. Inter-beds of
Geologic Outline field season and along strike of black carbonaceous slates and
The well known iron ore deposits are found from the world-class Hajigak iron screes of chert were also observed
western Afghanistan along the Herat fault system deposit, within a similar near the AGS camp.
through central Afghanistan and north-ward to the geotectonic setting. The discovery
Panjshir valley and possibly into Badakhshan (Figure of Syadara confirmed the 200km Mineralization
1). The best-known sedimentary Hajigak and Syadara long Proterozoic metamorphic Figure 2. View NE along strike showing an The Syadara iron ore body
iron deposits are locating in the same belt, hosted belt as highly prospective for iron iron ore outcrop of 500m long and 50-70m consists of massive magnetite
With by Neo-Proterozoic metamorphic rocks that ore, and significantly improves thick, moderately dipping at 45 degrees to the with weak specular hematite,
represent the basement rocks of the Gondwanaland the overall economic outlook of NW. Elsewhere the body is 30m thick and dips pyrite and with minor to trace
continent. At Syadara, the basement rocks are Hajigak. Preliminary mapping, steeply (80-85) degrees to the SE. (AGS 2010) chalcopyrite. Intense oxidation
sandwich between Herat and Gagharnaw faults, sampling and ground magnetic represented by limonite (goethite-
represent the final closing of the Paleotethys Ocean survey over a portion of the ore hematite) is well developed in
Sample Fe% S% P%
(USGS GIS, Peters et al., 2007). body was completed during the places, with trace malachite-
2010 field season by Afghanistan BD1 66.74 0.23 0.05 azurite and neotocite (proven by
Geological Survey. Geological H2SO4 test). The ore body extended
BD2 60.81 1.55 0.03
work to date has indicated strata- at both ends NE-SW, for more than
bound, magnetite with weak BD7 65.33 0.33 0.05 10km along strike. The magnetite
sulphide mineralization hosted body is discontinuous and has
BD8 66.8 0.87 0.18
within slates, phyllite and schist. variable thickness. The average
The ore body is largely BD12 67.67 0.51 0.34 thickness of the mineralization is
discontinuous, steeply dipping, between 15-30m and steeply
BD15 65.67 1.55 0.04
on average 15 to 30m thick and dipping, (70-80º) to the SW. At this
trends NE-SW for more than BD6 66.83 0.23 0.05 locality, the body measures
10km along strike-length. The approximately 50 to 70m wide
Table 1. Shows the results of identified
thickest observed section is about dipping 45º to the NW over a
samples.
50-70m wide x 500m long and distance of 500m along strike. A
dips at 45º to the NW. Elsewhere depth of approximately 400m to
the body is 30m thick and dips the mineralization could be
steeply (80-85) degrees to the SE. SYADARA MAGNETITE ascertained, based on the highest
The change in dip may reflect ORE BODY and lowest outcrop elevations
folding, shallow at the hinge and (AGS 2010).
steepest on the limbs. Dextral-slip Geology
faulting is evident but the Iron-mineralization is mainly Structure
apparent displacements are less hosted within the green-schist The magnetite body is mostly
than a few tens of metres. facies, metavolcanics and undeformed, but several shear/
Based on outcrop dimensions, an phyllites. A thin dolomite fault contacts and dextral slip with
inferred resource of >400Mt of sequence is in close proximity the wall rocks have been
iron ore is plausible. Assay results with the magnetite (Figure 5). The observed. Several post-mineral
(see Table. 1) from composite grab rocks are part of the Neo- NW-SE trending strike-slip faults,
samples returned grades ranging Proterozoic metamorphics which cross-cutting the mineralization
from 50-67% Fe (mean of 65% Fe) host the world-class Hajigak iron were inferred from the well-
and are consistent with grades at ore deposit, located some 110km developed galleys, but only limited
Hajigak. east of Syadara. The geologic map displacements are apparent (AGS
(Doebrich and Whal, 2006) shows 2010).
Neo-Proterozoic meta-
Figure 1. Geological map of Afghanistan sedimentary host rocks, which
showing location of stratabound iron ore consist of greenschist facies and
occurrences within Middle to Upper Proterozoic
formations.
28 29Mineral Resources in Afghanistan Mineral Resources in Afghanistan
Iron Ores Iron Ores
Geophysics and Remote HAJIGAK IRON ORE
Sensing
A geophysical survey was Geology
carried out by the The oldest part of the succession
Afghanistan Geological crops out north-west of the
Survey in Syadara area of Hajigak deposits (Figure 5). It
interest in 2019. This survey consists of grey silicified
was carried out using limestones and dolomites
Magnetic and Gravity interbedded with dark grey
methods. This survey crystalline schists and light
covered about 16 km2 area. coloured quartzites that display
Base on the survey’s results, evidence of amphibolite grade
a heavy magnetic ore belt is metamorphism. They are mapped
located with the length of as the Jawkol Formation, and
about 8 km starting from interpreted as Middle Proterozoic
Dan-e Sirdagh village to Shahre Figure 4. Remote sensing map of Syadara in age. The Hajigak iron deposit is Exploration
Naw village. As per geophysical area, Bamyan Province. Red colored area shows hosted by the Upper Proterozoic Iron occurrences were observed
investigation, the estimated depth the iron oxide spots. Awband Formation that, together during initial geological mapping
of magnetic ore bodies is 2 with the underlying Kab Figure 5. Simplified geological map of the of the area in the mid-thirties but
kilometers (Figure 3). Landsat 8 image and the result of Formation, constitutes the Qala Hajigak area (after Kusov et al., 1965). the economic potential was not
this study shows a close match Series, a sequence of metavolcanic fully recognized until a joint
Recently the AGS remote sensing with the geological mapping and and metasedimentary rocks up to Afghan-Soviet project, between
experts cared out an investigation geophysical identified anomalies 4,500 m thick (Figure 6). There are two main ore groups: 1963 and 1965, carried out an
to identify the iron oxide in the area (Figure 4). unoxidised primary ores and extensive study which mapped
reflectance using the ASTER and Mineralization semi-oxidised ores. and described the deposit in some
The Hajigak deposit trends NE-SW detail (Figure 5). The regional
for about 9 km and is made up of Unoxidised primary ores occur below geology was mapped at 1:50,000
16 separate ore bodies, each up to 100 m and consist of magnetite while the Hajigak deposit was
3 km in length. The deposit can be and pyrite, with up to 5% mapped at 1:10,000. Focusing on
divided up into three geographical chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite. the western area of the deposit,
parts, the western, central and the study included detailed
eastern parts. In addition to the Semi-oxidised ores extend down to prospecting, trenching, four deep
large ore bodies there is a 130 m below ground surface, drill holes, a 200m long horizontal
substantial area of thin fragmental consist mainly of magnetite, adit and shafts into the fragmental
ore deposits in the form of four martite and hydrogoethite. There ore. For two of the main ore
surficial deposits. The main are two other oxidised ore types in bodies, I and II, horizontal plans
hematitic ore is medium- to the deposit: Hydrogoethite/ and vertical cross-sections were
fine-grained and displays a variety hematite/semi-martite and generated allowing the ore to be
of massive, banded and porous carbonate/ semi-martite, occur resource classified. Although the
textures. It occurs in lenses and sporadically in small amounts. ore bodies were thought to be of
sheets, within the Awband Alteration of the host rocks, which limited depth extension there is
Formation. The thickness of the may be related to the mineralizing no deep drilling to confirm this.
lenses indicated by drilling to be event, includes sericitisation, The detailed study focused on the
up to 100 m, while the depth of silicification and carbonisation. western section of the ore body
mineralisation is untested 180 m and a detailed resource estimate
below surface. could only be made for a small
portion of the deposit.
Figure 3. Magnetic anomaly map Syadara area of interest: The pink and red colored areas show
the high magnetic intensity zones (magnetic ore bodies) and the green and blue colored areas Figure 6. Stratigraphic log of the Hajigak area.
show the low magnetic intensity zones (host rocks). (after Kusov et al., 1965).
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