Pakistan signs 13 mineral cooperation agreements with international partners to boost exploration, local processing and value-added exports.
Islamabad: Pakistan has signed 13 mineral cooperation agreements with international companies and foreign partners to attract investment, expand mineral exploration and develop local processing industries as the country seeks to move beyond exporting raw resources.
The agreements were announced Friday during the concluding session of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Both leaders emphasized the need to develop complete mineral value chains, covering exploration, extraction, processing and manufacturing, rather than limiting Pakistan’s role to exporting unprocessed minerals.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said mineral development must go hand in hand with environmental protection. He urged investors to adopt modern technologies and international standards to safeguard water resources and ensure workers’ health and safety.
The prime minister said Pakistan was seeking long-term investment partnerships that would create domestic economic benefits through processing and manufacturing facilities while offering opportunities to international investors.
Meanwhile, Barrick Gold Executive Chairman John Thornton reaffirmed his company’s commitment to Pakistan, saying it intended to remain a long-term partner in the Reko Diq project. Barrick holds a 50% stake in the major gold and copper development.
Pakistan also signed two memorandums of understanding with US-based Ivanhoe Atlantic to strengthen cooperation in mineral exploration and development.
Among the major agreements was a joint venture between Turkiye’s Lidiya Mining and Mari Minerals to explore and develop mineral resources in Chagai, Balochistan.
The United Kingdom’s MSALABS Limited and Mari MSA Labs agreed to establish a modern commercial mineral testing laboratory in Pakistan. Another agreement between Turkiye’s MTA International Company and Mari Minerals will support exploration and mining projects in Chagai.
The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and Ivanhoe Mines also signed an MoU covering cooperation in mineral exploration and mining activities in Balochistan. The agreement was signed by Ivanhoe Mines founder Robert Friedland and FWO Chief Executive Engineer Abdul Sami.
Other arrangements included cooperation with Japan to strengthen the Geological Survey of Pakistan, alongside geological research agreements involving Turkiye, Germany and the British Geological Survey.
The Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) also entered into a joint venture with MTA International Company to explore antimony, copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and other critical minerals in Pishin, Balochistan.
Additional agreements covered gemstone resource assessments, development of a model mine, airborne geophysical surveys and ambient noise tomography.
According to the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (ICMA), Pakistan’s mineral reserves are estimated at approximately $8 trillion and extend across nearly 600,000 square kilometres. Despite this potential, the mining sector has historically contributed less than 3% to the country’s gross domestic product.
Estimates suggest annual mineral exports could increase from around $3 billion to $8 billion, while economic growth could potentially rise from approximately 3% to 6% through improved governance and security.
However, translating these resources into sustainable economic gains will require investment in infrastructure, geological research, modern technology, financing, regulatory stability and environmental safeguards.
The latest agreements represent an effort to strengthen international partnerships, expand domestic industrial capacity and generate greater economic value from Pakistan’s mineral resources.
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