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Prepared in cooperation with the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Afghanistan Geological Survey

Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

By Stephen G. Peters, Trude V.V. King, Thomas J. Mack, and Michael P. Chornack

Introduction The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) entered into an agreement with the Afghanistan Geological Survey to study and assess the fuel and nonfuel mineral resources of Afghanistan from October 2009 to September 2011 so that these resources could be economically extracted to expand the economy of Afghanistan. This report summarizes the results of joint studies on 24 important areas of interest (AOIs) of nonfuel mineral resources that were identified for mineral investment and production opportunities in Afghanistan. This report is supported by digital data and archival and non-USGS reports on each AOI, and these data are available from the Afghanistan Geological Survey Data Center in Kabul (http://mom.gov.af/en/ and http://www.bgs.ac.uk/afghanminerals/) and for viewing and download on the USGS public Web site and in a separate viewer at http://mapdss2.er.usgs.gov/.

Revised November 4, 2011 Posted September 29, 2011     View individual chapters (PDFs) from the     table of contents or download ZIP File. Download entire report (ZIP 838 MB) Appendix 1 (ZIP 2.5 MB) Appendix 2 (ZIP 696 KB) Appendix 3 (ZIP (10.8 MB) For additional information contact: Stephen G. Peters U.S. Geological Survey MS 954 National Center 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20192-0002 Telephone: (703) 648–6348 Fax: (703) 648–6383 E-mail: speters@usgs.gov Internet: http://afghanistan.cr.usgs.gov/minerals Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF); the latest version of Adobe Reader or similar software is required to view it. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge.

Suggested citation:

Peters, S.G., King, T.V.V., Mack, T.J., and Chornack, M.P., eds., and the U.S. Geological Survey Afghanistan Mineral Assessment Team, 2011, Summaries of important areas for mineral investment and production opportunities of nonfuel minerals in Afghanistan: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1204, 1,810 p. plus appendixes on DVD. (Also available at https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1204/ and on DVD.)

Contents

Front Matter—Volume I (227 KB) and Volume II (522 KB)

Executive Summary

1.     Introduction to Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan (12.5 MB)

2A.   Summary of the Aynak Copper, Cobalt, and Chromium Area of Interest (21.7 MB)

2B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Aynak-Logar Valley Area of Interest (5.94 MB)

2C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Aynak Copper, Cobalt, and Chromium Area of Interest (8.75 MB)

3A.   Summary of the Badakhshan Gold Area of Interest (8.14 MB)

3B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Badakhshan Area of Interest (8.14 MB)

3C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Badakhshan Gold Area of Interest (8.71 MB)

4A.   Summary of the Balkhab Copper Area of Interest (13.9 MB)

4B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Balkhab Copper Area of Interest (10.2 MB)

4C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Balkhab Copper Area of Interest (6.31 MB)

5A.   Summary of the Daykundi Tin, Tungsten, and Lithium Area of Interest (8.98 MB)

5B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Daykundi Area of Interest (9.27 MB)

5C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Daykundi Tin and Tungsten Area of Interest (8.94 MB)

6A.   Summary of the Dusar-Shaida Copper and Tin Area of Interest (15.1 MB)

6B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Dusar-Shaida Area of Interest (30.1 MB)

6C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Dusar-Shaida Copper and Tin Area of Interest (10.6 MB)

7A.   Summary of the Haji-Gak Iron Area of Interest (36 .7 MB)

7B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Haji-Gak Area of Interest (28 MB)

7C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Haji-Gak Iron Area of Interest (8.40 MB)

7D.   A Reevaluation of the Mineral Resources of the Haji-Gak Iron Deposit (4.9 MB)

8A.   Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest (12.9 MB)

8B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Katawas Area of Interest (10.1 MB)

8C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest (5.01 MB)

9A.   Summary of the Kharnak-Kanjar Mercury Area of Interest (13 MB)

9B.   Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Kharnak-Kanjar Area of Interest (18 MB)

9C.   Geohydrologic Summary of the Kharnak-Kanja Mercury Area of Interest (10.5 MB)

10A. Summary of the Kundalan Copper and Gold Area of Interest (21 MB)

10B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Kundalan Area of Interest (24.3 MB)

10C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Kundalan Copper and Gold Area of Interest (13.1 MB)

11A. Summary of the Nalbandon Lead and Zinc Area of Interest (25.9 MB)

11B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Nalbandon Area of Interest (19.4 MB)

11C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Nalbandon Lead and Zinc Area of Interest (8.06 MB)

12A. Summary of the North Takhar Placer Gold Area of Interest (39.3 MB)

12B. Geohydrologic Summary of the North Takhar Gold Placer Area of Interest (7.11 MB)

13A. Summary of the Panjsher Valley Emerald, Iron, and Silver Area of Interest (13.1 MB)

13B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Panjsher Valley Area of Interest (14.3 MB)

13C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Panjsher Valley Emerald, Iron, and Silver Area of Interest (5.37 MB)

14A. Summary of the Tourmaline Tin Area of Interest (8.10 MB)

14B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Tourmaline Area of Interest (20.3 MB)

14C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Tourmaline Tin Area of Interest (4.16 MB)

15A. Summary of the Zarkashan Copper and Gold Area of Interest (25.2 MB)

15B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Zarkashan Area of Interest (19.1 MB)

15C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Zarkashan Copper and Gold Area of Interest (6.12MB)

16A. Introduction to Industrial Minerals (7.89 MB)

16B. Cement in Afghanistan (6.47 MB)

17A. Summary for the Baghlan Clay and Gypsum Area of Interest (4.50 MB)

17B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Baghlan Area of Interest (8.21 MB)

17C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Baghlan Clay Gypsum Area of Interest (6.52 MB)

18A. Summary of the Bakhud Fluorite Area of Interest (4.63 MB)

18B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Bakhud Area of Interest (10.5 MB)

18C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Bakhud Fluorite Area of Interest (6.60 MB)

19A. Summary for the Dudkash Industrial Minerals Area of Interest (5.02 MB)

19B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Dudkash Area of Interest (7.36 MB)

19C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Dudkash Industrial Minerals Area of Interest (17.1 MB)

20A. Summary for the Mineral Information Package for the Ghunday-Achin Magnesite and Talc Area of Interest (4.18 MB)

20B. Geohydrologic Summary of the Ghunday-Achin Magnesite and Talc Area of Interest (7.54 MB)

21A. Summary of the Mineral Information Package for the Khanneshin Carbonatite Area of Interest (7:30 MB)

21B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Khanneshin Area of Interest (7.43 MB)

21C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Khanneshin Carbonatite Area of Interest (5.62 MB)

22A. Summary of the Kunduz Area of Interest (4.18 MN)

22B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Kunduz Area of Interest (4.27 MB)

22C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Kunduz Celestite Area of Interest (6.42 MB)

23A. Summary of the North Herat Area of Interest (3.38 MB)

23B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the North Herat Area of Interest (14.9 MB)

23C. Geohydrologic Summary of the North Herat Barium and Limestone Area of Interest (7.58 MB)

24A. Summary for the Mineral Information Package for theNuristan Rare-Metal Pegmatite Area of Interest (5.52 MB)

24B. Geohydrologic Summary of the Nuristan Pegmatite Area of Interest (7.73 MB)

25A. Summary of the South Helmand Travertine Area of Interest and Geology and Mineral Resource Potential of the Chagai Hills Region (49.9 MB)

25B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the South Helman Area of Interest (5.07 MB)

25C. Geohydrologic Summary of the South Helmand Travertine Area of Interest (4.82 MB)

26A. Summary for the Takhar Area of Interest (9.20 MB)

26B. Analysis of Imaging Spectrometer Data for the Takhar Area of Interest (7.64 MB)

26C. Geohydrologic Summary of the Takhar Evaporite Area of Interest (5.35 MB)

Half-title page for appendixes 1-3

Appendix 1. Inventory Spreadsheets for Data Packages Compiled for Each Area of Interest (2.5 MB)

Appendix 2. Streamflow Statistics at Ungaged Sites in Areas of Interest (696 KB)

Appendix 3. Groundwater Hydrographs at or Near Areas of Interest (10.8 MB)