Reconnaissance licenses for solar salt have been awarded to the government-owned Balochistan Mineral Resources Limited (BMRL), according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023–24, which was released earlier in the day.
The report also mentioned talks on territories awarded to BMEC and BMRL with foreign investors.
It further stated that large-scale mining has received priority in light of the Reko Diq settlement and the project’s resumption. For copper, gold, and related minerals, several large-scale exploration licenses (ELs) have been awarded to both public and private sector businesses.
Among these, Balochistan Mineral Resources Limited (BMRL), a company owned by the government of Balochistan, has received five ELs, and Balochistan Mineral Exploration Company (BMEC), has received four ELs. These businesses bargain with foreign investors to investigate and expand these allotted territories.
Lithium Exploration License given: This is the province’s first time that a lithium exploration license has been given. In September 2023, M/S Shaanxi Atlas International Mining Private Limited was awarded El-250, encompassing 417 square kilometers in the Hamun-e Mashkel area of Chagai.
The initial drilling and survey have been initiated by the company. granting privately held firms’ exploration licenses for copper and gold.
Private businesses have also been awarded Exploration Licenses (ELS) for Copper, Gold, and related minerals in order to expedite exploration in the promising district of Chagai. Three ELs were awarded to Degan Exploration, three to MPCL, and one to National Resources Limited (NRL) among the group. These businesses have begun preliminary research and surveys in the designated locations.
The feasibility study update is now being worked on by Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC). By 2024, the feasibility study update should be finished. As per the terms of the contract, a second $ 2.5 million advance payment for royalties was received in December 2023.
For many years, small-scale chromite mining has taken place in Khanozai (District Pishin) and Muslim Bagh (District Killa Saifullah). Applications for Chromite’s large-scale Exploration Licenses (ELs) in Districts Killa Saifullah and Zhob have now been submitted by the state-owned Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC).
M/S PMDC has been awarded two large-scale exploration licenses for chromite as a result.