Several Badakhshan residents have expressed concern over the growing mining activities of Chinese companies in the province. They say Chinese companies are preventing residents from approaching extraction sites by setting up large camps and centers for their staff and equipment. These residents say that when extracting minerals, Chinese companies do not pay sufficient attention to the environmental consequences of their activities and have taken on extensive powers in mineral extraction. They also speak of suspicious activities by some Chinese companies and suspect that these companies are not limiting themselves to gold extraction, and that at night they may also be extracting or processing certain rare minerals. Meanwhile, several economic experts say China’s presence in Afghanistan’s mining sector is a two-sided issue; on one hand it could create important economic, investment and employment opportunities, and on the other hand it could increase the risk of economic dependency and geopolitical consequences.
Omid (pseudonym), a resident of Badakhshan, says a large portion of the province’s gold-rich mines are under the control of Chinese companies. According to him, these companies prevent residents from approaching the areas around extraction sites by setting up large camps and centers for their staff and equipment.
This Badakhshan resident says: “The large equipment and machinery of Chinese companies operate day and night without observing mining regulations, and due to the lack of sufficient oversight by the Taliban, they extract gold recklessly. It does not matter to them whether the environment is destroyed, freshwater resources are damaged, or certain medicinal plants are wiped out, consequences whose effects may only become apparent in the coming years.”
Omid adds that by using advanced technology to identify gold reserves, Chinese companies have taken control of the main sections of the gold-rich mines, and the exact amount of gold extracted daily remains unclear.
This Badakhshan resident says: “In some areas of Badakhshan, particularly the provincial capital, people also talk about the suspicious activities of Chinese companies. They suspect these companies are not limiting themselves to gold extraction and that they may also be extracting or processing certain rare minerals at night. However, there is no specific or documented evidence for these claims, and such speculation is mostly based on the nighttime operation of these companies’ machinery.”
He goes on to add: “Local people say the behavior and movements of Chinese companies at Badakhshan’s gold mines, along with their extensive powers, are reminiscent of the presence of NATO forces, particularly American forces, during the republic era. They believe Chinese companies now have even freer rein and greater authority than during that period, as if parts of this land have come under their complete control.”
Farid (pseudonym), a Badakhshan resident, says the presence of Chinese companies and investors in gold extraction activities in the province has raised concerns among residents. According to him, in recent years gold extraction has increased in parts of Badakhshan, and Chinese companies, using advanced equipment, are extracting gold on a larger scale.
This Badakhshan resident says: “Chinese companies are partnered with Taliban officials and extract gold ruthlessly. These companies have advanced tools and machinery and can extract gold with ease, while local people mostly work using traditional methods with limited resources.”
Farid also says the extraction activities of these companies have had environmental consequences, causing damage to portions of land and reducing the areas used for livestock grazing. He adds: “With the arrival of Chinese companies and their partnership with Taliban officials, local people’s access to land and mining areas has been restricted, and in some cases they are not even permitted to carry out extraction.”
Meanwhile, Shekab (pseudonym), an economic expert, says China has effectively taken Afghanistan’s large mines “hostage,” leaving them in a state of uncertainty. According to him, if the contracts are implemented, China’s presence in Afghanistan’s mining sector is a two-sided issue; on one hand it could create significant economic opportunities, and on the other hand it could bring geopolitical risks and structural dependency. He says: “Among the benefits of China’s presence are the injection of capital and foreign currency, job and infrastructure creation, increased public revenue, and the extraction of key minerals.”
Shekab adds: “These contracts have the potential to create benefits for Afghanistan; however, in the current situation, due to the lack of multiple investors and applicants, there is a risk of one-sided dependency. Contributing factors include structural dependency, the export of raw materials, an imbalance of power in negotiations, and the risk that commitments will not be fulfilled.”
This economic expert says: “To ensure that mining contracts truly benefit Afghanistan, transparent management, compliance with environmental requirements, domestic processing of resources, and fostering competition among multiple international investors are necessary.”
This comes as the presence of Chinese investors in the country has increased since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, with them increasingly seeking mining extraction opportunities.
The rich mines of northeastern Afghanistan, particularly in Badakhshan and Takhar provinces, which could have served as a source of economic development and improved livelihoods for local people, have in recent years become a focal point of conflict, opaque exploitation, and widespread allegations regarding the mismanagement of natural resources.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
طلای بدخشان؛ گسترش حضور شرکتهای چینی و افزایش نگرانیها از تاراج منابع طبیعی
