Islamabad: US investors are exploring opportunities in Pakistan’s mineral sector, with interest focused on copper deposits in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rare earth minerals in Gilgit-Baltistan, while the United States has also indicated its readiness to support large-scale mining projects where commercial potential is established.
Speaking at a background briefing, a US Embassy official said American investors were interested in both large and small mining ventures in Pakistan. The official said the US was prepared to finance another mining project on the scale of Reko Diq, subject to favourable feasibility studies.
According to the official, some US companies are considering acquiring and developing smaller mines, while others are evaluating investment opportunities in larger copper projects. The official added that American investors remain interested in Pakistan’s mining sector despite operational challenges.
The official said Pakistan possesses significant reserves of critical minerals, including copper, antimony and tungsten, with several companies already engaged in extraction activities. US firms are also exploring offtake agreements with smaller mines for processing and export to the United States.
The official noted that the US has identified 60 minerals as critical for industries such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced computing, energy and defence technologies, several of which are found in Pakistan.
The Trump administration is supporting the development of critical mineral supply chains through financing mechanisms available under the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the official said.
The official said Pakistan’s mining sector had the potential to make a significant contribution to the country’s economy over the next 10 to 20 years, noting that minerals currently account for around 3% of economic output.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
