PUL-E-ALAM (SW) – Officials at the Chinese MJAM firm, which has the contract for mining at the Aynak copper mine, has said problems remain in proceeding with the operations.
John J. Coy, the company’s vice president, said during an aid distribution ceremony in Logar that that some of these problems, such as the acquisition of land around the Aynak copper mine, are major obstacles to not starting the work of this project, which the company cannot solve alone. He added that Aynak’s copper mining contract should be reviewed and the Islamic Emirate should talk more with this company.
John J. Coy emphasized: “The memorandum of Aynak copper mine should be reviewed and there should be a discussion with this company about the adjustments to the contract. We hope that the Islamic Emirate and the company will be able to create common points through dialogue and eliminate the differences, and by solving it, we will be able to start the construction work of the project for the benefit of the local people.”
Meanwhile, Atiqullah Azizi, Minister of Culture and Arts at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said in this program that they have prepared a plan for the transfer and strengthening of the ancient remains of the Aynak copper mine. He added: “We are in the process of understanding with a company to carry out the transfer and strengthening of Aynak copper mine ancient artifacts and we are trying to start the practical work of this project.”
On the other hand, Shokrallah, the representative of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said that the ministry is trying to start the practical work of mining Aynak copper mine. He added that the ministry is talking with the Chinese company “MJAM” to resolve the differences about this project. The representative of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum emphasized: “The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum is negotiating to resolve the disputes about this project, and this ministry is trying to start the practical work of extracting Aynak copper mine.”
The Chinese company won the Aynak copper mine mining contract in 2007, but since then, due to security problems and the existence of ancient artifacts in the mining area, it has refused to mine.
ENDS
