EXAGGERATION prevails that it is very easy to explore, extract, process and export rare earth elements and critical minerals to foreign countries like US and China from treasures of mines and minerals of Balochistan.

It is also hyped among all and sundry that companies of America or China and may be others will sign hefty deals with government of Pakistan dodging legal quagmires, geo-political tensions, bureaucratic hiccups and security precariousness. They will take away expensive light and heavy rare earth metallic elements without giving due share of local stakeholders.

Frankly speaking, situation in Balochistan is other way round. It is like big Pandora’s Box brimming with profuse paradoxes. Most deposits of mines and minerals are the embroiled into gazillion complexities and impediments given the intricate geostrategic, geopolitical and geoeconomic scenarios. Even Reko Diq mines run by Canadian company Barrick Gold and Saindak mines operated by Chinese company China Metallurgical Group Corporations (MCC), are not immune to plethora of troubles. Although to some extent Redo Diq and Saindak are being managed but rest of rich resources of rare earth elements and critical minerals that are currently under global focus are excessively challenged politically, legally and administratively and so much so on security landscape. Recently, the entire issue was blown out of proportion.

A few weeks back, international overtures created the illusion that Balochistan’s mineral treasures were ready for extraction, with exaggerated claims that the US........

© Pakistan Observer