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Balochistan identifies

seven areas for

mining ventures

QUETTA: Balochistan Government has identified seven major mining projects for sale, export and joint ventures these are: Chromite baryta, marble, gypsum, limestone, dolomite sulphurstone, lead and zinc, an official spokesman told PPI here on Saturday. Chromite reserves, in commercial quantity, are available in Lasbela, Chagai, Pishin, Sonaro and Muslim Bagh - private sector has already started work on Muslim Bagh deposits.

The grade of chromite ranges from 40-50 percent. The chemical and refractory grades annual production is over 18,000 tonnes. Chromite is used for chromite chemicals and for the manufacture of chromite are available in other areas of sale and export.

Baryta deposits estimated at over 12 million tonnes are in Khuzdar - Uthal Belt of central Balochistan. At present, more than 30,000 tonnes are annually produced from a mine near Khuzdar.

Baryta is used for oil-well drilling as weighing agent it is also used for barium chemicals white pigment and for paper industry.

Marble deposits are mostly available in abundance in Chagai district. These deposits are available in various shades of whites gray, red, yellow and green. Chagai marble has been demand as road.

At present private sector is engaged in the production of marble on small scale. Average annual production has been estimated 30,000 tonnes. Most of the marble is exported as a raw material to foreign countries where it is used for interior and exterior decoration of buildings.

These deposits offer wide scope for scientific production, processing and marketing through joint ventures.

There are more than 7 million tonnes of gypsum deposits in Chagai, Loralai, Sibi and Quetta district, at present, only 500 tons are produced annually.

Gypsum is used for the manufacture of fertilizers cement medicines and pains it is available in abundance almost throughout Balochistan, in Bolan Pass Khost, Shrigh Spintagi Mekran and Harnai. In Harnai alone, limestone deposits have been estimated at several billion tonnes average annual production of limestones now comes to little over 200,000 tones.

Similarly, dolonite annual output comes to more than 275 tons. Only these limestone and dolomite deposits are available for sale and export in various shades of white, black, brown, red and yellow.

Sufficient reserves of gem stone are available in Muslim Bagh and other areas of Balochistan, offering better potential for processing, finishing and marketing to local as well as foreign markets.

Sulphur deposits in billions of tonnes are spread in Balochistan mostly confined to Kohe Sultan, Sani Khan Berar and Mekran areas. Sulphur is used for making explosives, insecticides, sugar refining and sulphuric acid. Balochistan has the privilege of producing sulphur in Pakistan.

Large deposits of lead and zinc have already been found in northern and central parts of Balochistan mostly in Zhob Khuzdar and Lasbela areas. A joint venture for development of these deposits has been estimated at 10 million tonnes. An agreement between Pasinco of Australia and Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation and Balochistan Development Authority has come into effect.

This joint venture is a sequal to the investment missions for Europe and the USA led by Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, last December.

This is the third major mining joint venture after copper-gold project at Saindak and another in Chagai district.

Due to their investment missions' visits to Washington and London, a base metal agreement would soon be finalized. America has also fielded a mission for mineral exploration in Balochistan.-PPI