KABUL (SW) – The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum officials on Tuesday, signed an agreement in Kabul for the exploration, extraction, and processing of the “Dara-e-Noor” marble mine in Kandahar province, with a Turkish company.
Hedayatullah Badri, Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, said that the agreement for the Dara-e-Noor marble mine, covering a large area of three square kilometers, was signed for a value of $6.2 million, with a duration of 30 years.
“The project will be carried out according to international standards,” Badri said.
Officials the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum under the Islamic Emirate mentioned that the agreement also includes social service provisions, such as the construction of health and educational centers.
Officials from the Turkish company “Emi oglu,” which is responsible for the exploration, extraction, and processing of the mine, stated that the project will create jobs for hundreds of people.
Musa Emi oglu, the deputy director of the company, said that after the extraction and processing process, they will promote Afghan marble in international markets.
He added, “The company operates in the extraction, processing of marble, crude oil, and industry worldwide. We began official operations eight months ago and set up a small operational site in Shah Wali Kot district, where 100 people live. We promise to introduce Afghan marble to the world market after extraction and processing.”
Earlier, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum under the Islamic Emirate had signed seven major mining contracts with companies from China, Turkey, Iran, and the United Kingdom, valued at over $6 billion.
