” ‘The mineral sector holds a central place in Uraan Pakistan for achieving our export targets. Pakistan’s mineral resources are valued at nearly six to seven trillion dollars, yet our current mineral exports stand at only about two billion dollars annually,’ [Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Professor Ahsan Iqbal] said.”
“Ahsan Iqbal said that it was time to take Pak-China mineral cooperation beyond extraction towards value addition, processing, smelting and refining. Projects such as Saindak copper-gold, Duddar lead-zinc and Thar coal are successful examples of this collaboration.”
“According to Ahsan Iqbal their goal was to ‘establish mineral processing plants, smelters, refining facilities and mineral-based industrial clusters linked with special economic zones, moving decisively from extraction to value addition’.”
“He said, ‘China’s role is pivotal in transforming Pakistan’s mineral economy, as Chinese companies possess advanced expertise across the entire mineral value chain, from geological surveys to processing, smelting, refining and project financing.’ ”