KABUL (Pajhwok): Extraction work has officially begun at three blocks of the agate (aqeeq) precious stone mine in Pasaband district of western Ghor province, the provincial mines director said.
Mawlawi Abdul Hakim Hikmat, head of Mines in Ghor, told Pajhwok that extraction work at the three blocks of the “Khonia” area mine in Pasaband district, which had been contracted to two domestic companies, was formally inaugurated on Thursday at a ceremony.
According to him, one block of the mine was awarded through bidding to a domestic company at a cost of 1.6 million afghanis per ton of agate stone, while the other two blocks were handed over to another company under a contract with a 10 percent royalty for professional extraction.
Meanwhile, Abdul Bari Khanjani, a representative of the “Zarawar” company, said: “Our effort is to ensure that extraction of these gemstones is carried out in a standard and professional manner so that, in addition to creating job opportunities, it also facilitates the supply and export of these stones to national and international markets.”
According to Ghor Mines Department statistics, a total of 172 mines have been registered in the province, of which 11 mines have been contracted to private companies for survey and extraction.
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