ISLAMABAD: Australia is poised to re-enter Pakistan’s mining and mineral sector after more than a decade, with plans for direct investments, joint ventures, and institutional collaboration aimed at resource exploration, development, and skills enhancement.
Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins met with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik on Monday to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in energy and mining. Hawkins conveyed renewed interest from Australian mining companies in Pakistan’s mineral-rich regions—particularly Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir—and proposed joint training initiatives involving Australian universities, mining firms, and Pakistani institutions to develop local expertise in modern mining techniques.
Minister Malik welcomed Australia’s interest and assured full support for partnerships that bring investment, transfer of technology, and capacity-building to Pakistan’s mining and energy sectors.
Australia’s legacy in Pakistan’s mining sector includes the landmark discovery of the Reko Diq copper-gold deposits. The initial discovery was made in the early 1990s through a joint venture between the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) and Australian mining giant BHP Billiton. The project was later transferred to Australia’s Tethyan Copper Company (TCC), which drilled over 75,000 meters and invested \$30 million to prove the reserves.
However, legal disputes and ownership transitions—eventually involving Antofagasta of Chile and Barrick Gold Corporation of Canada—delayed the Reko Diq project, initially slated for production in 2010, by at least 15 years. Now being revived by Barrick, the project is expected to process 45 million tonnes annually for the first five years and 90 million tonnes thereafter for the next three decades.
Australia is also collaborating with Pakistan in water resource management, supporting the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) with modern telemetry and assessment tools.
Both sides have agreed to strengthen institutional ties and prepare for delegation-level exchanges to explore energy and mining cooperation, marking a potential turning point in Pakistan’s resource development strategy.
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
