Shah Walikot marble extraction, processing contract inked

KABUL (Pajhwok): The government has inked an agreement with a Turkish company worth $6.2 million for extraction and processing of Dara-i-Noor marble mine in southern Kandahar province.

The contract was inked this morning in Kabul between acting Mines and Petroleum Minister Mullah Hedayatullah Badri and Musa AMI Uglo, the deputy director of AMI Uglo Company.

At the contract signing ceremony, Badri said: “This large scale contract was signed between the Islamic Emirate and AMI Uglo company for the exploration, extraction and processing of Shah Walikot’s Dara-i-Noor marble mine. The total cost of the contract was $6.2 million.”

Hundreds of workers will be offered employment opportunities when the exploration, extraction and processing of marble starts, Badri added.

The contracting company has also accepted to provide health and education facilities for local residents of the district.

Musa Ami Uglo, AMI Uglo company deputy director, said it is a family company which explores, extracts and processes marble, crude oil and gas fields.

Ha said: “We are trying to introduce the marble of Afghanistan in international markets which will benefit both the government and people of this country.”

According to the statement of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) the contract was signed for a period of 30 years.

The mines covers a 30 kilometers area in Dara-i-Noor area of Kandahar’s Shah Walikot districts and this mines is considered one of the important marble mines of Afghanistan.

aw/ma