KABUL, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced Tuesday evening the signing of a contract for the second block of a talc mine in the eastern province of Nangarhar, marking another step in the country's push to monetize its vast mineral wealth.
The agreement, valued at 65.86 million U.S. dollars, covers a concession spanning 3.82 square kilometers in Kudi Khel area of Shirzad district, according to an official ministry statement.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Mines and Petroleum Mullah Hedayatullah Badri underscored the project's socio-economic significance, emphasizing that the inception of talc extraction and processing operations would generate employment opportunities for local communities.
Badri further stressed the imperative of conducting all mining and beneficiation activities in strict adherence to the nation's statutory framework, prevailing technical standards, and established operational protocols.
The latest development follows on the heels of a landmark energy diplomacy push on Monday, when the ministry inked oil and gas agreements collectively valued at 213.8 million dollars with Russia's TNG and Saudi Arabia's Delta Energy International. ■