Hajigak Mining Concession, page-3

In my unqualified opinion as follows: China is the most likely candidate country to be able to build the railway under its belt and road initiative. The rugged to flat, often snow covered, sometimes mountainous region around the Hajigak Mine is a region with a similar level of access and construction difficulties to some of China's terrain.

However, with the Taliban assalt on several Afgan cities, which commenced this August, It's unlikely anything will go ahead in the short term (at the very least). I don't believe this will happen but China does have the might, military numbers and weaponry to counter the Taliban but it would cause huge conflict in Afganistan with possible repercussions from the US and US allies. There's a low possibility that Pakistan and India may also get involved.

I think the whole mine/railroad situation is a stalemate for the foreseeable future.

I've included a google maps link below: some great photography of the mine area:

https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Hajigak+Iron+Mine/@34.6687719,68.056944,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipO9PUsx9HvPiFgo4fOEjooYvMg1PHqOASlwXhN8!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO9PUsx9HvPiFgo4fOEjooYvMg1PHqOASlwXhN8%3Dw205-h100-k-no!7i4128!8i2006!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sHajigak+Mine,+Afganistan!3m5!1s0x38d2f95b0624604f:0x18c102eaa22eb8e!8m2!3d34.6687673!4d68.0569446!15sChlIYWppZ2FrIE1pbmUsIEFmZ2hhbmlzdGFuWhoiGGhhamlnYWsgbWluZSBhZmdoYW5pc3RhbpIBBHBlYWuaASNDaFpEU1VoTk1HOW5TMFZKUTBGblNVUlpkVkJ5WDBWUkVBRQ

Also a pdf (below): It's an article updated 9-10 March, which gives a great perspective of the interested parties in this said to be high-grade high-tonnage IO deposit and a small snippet about Afganistan's Lithium resources.

Hajigak Mining Concession _ Fulfil strategic ambitions of imperial powers - The Economic Times.pdf


There has been previous ministerial interest from Australia in the IO mine but I think it's just far too complex a project for any Ausie corporation to get involved in. Unfortunately, it will revolve around that black word - politics - and there's little likelihood of the Aust Govt or any Aust company risking anything/anything more in Afganistan during COVID.