“Two Chinese companies have expressed their interest in investing in lithium and gold mining in this province,” said Mawlavi Hazrat Yusuf Sohaib, the director of the Mines and Petroleum Department of Ghazni.

“25 mines are currently being mined in Ghazni, and 18 mines, including marble, sulfur, coal, and other precious stones, have been newly discovered in the province this year,” he added.

The lithium found in Afghanistan, which could transform its economic prospects, is a crucial component of large-capacity batteries for electric vehicles and clean-energy storage systems.

Copper, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements are also found in Afghanistan, all of which are crucial to the energy transition.

According to US military officials, the country is sitting on mineral deposits worth nearly $1 trillion. (ILKHA)