The Taliban claim that mining operations are underway at over 29 large and 175 smaller sites across Afghanistan, with approximately 170,000 people currently employed in the country’s mining sector.
According to the group’s economic deputy at the Prime Minister’s Office, these sites extract minerals such as gold, ruby, iron, copper, lead, salt, coal, marble, cement raw materials, gypsum, limestone, and nephrite.
Since taking power, the Taliban have shown a strong interest in exploiting Afghanistan’s mineral wealth—a policy that has drawn repeated criticism from opposition figures and analysts.
Critics argue that the Taliban lack the political legitimacy to manage the country’s natural resources and that the process lacks transparency in both governance and revenue distribution.
Experts warn that without legal oversight and transparent management, mining could lead to widespread corruption, unequal exploitation of resources, and deepening economic and social crises.
Women protesters have also condemned the Taliban’s mining policy, asserting that the revenues are being used to reinforce a system of “gender apartheid.”
