KABUL, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed a major contract on Thursday with a private company to develop the second block of the Namsar salt mine in western Herat province.
The agreement covers an area of 9.7 square kilometers in Ghoryan district and is backed by an investment commitment of about 20 million U.S. dollars, according to a ministry statement.
The 15-year contract includes a royalty rate of 1,500 afghanis per metric ton of extracted salt. In addition, the contracting company has pledged 930,000 dollars toward community development and social initiatives in the surrounding areas, the statement added.
The project is expected to create around 100 direct jobs.
The Afghan government has previously awarded several mining contracts to local and foreign companies. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to launch development and infrastructure projects aimed at addressing economic challenges and creating job opportunities. ■
