Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday stressed that the development of the country’s mineral sector “cannot happen without strategic partners”, particularly China.
Pakistan’s mineral wealth is estimated at $8 trillion, spread across 600,000 square kilometres and comprising 92 identified minerals, 52 of which are commercially extracted, according to an estimate by the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMA).
He made the remarks while addressing the Pak-China Mineral Cooperation Forum in Islamabad.
Noting the scale of Pakistan’s mineral wealth, the minister highlighted the gap between the sector’s potential and performance, stating that the “gap is a result of structural constraints”.
He maintained that the mineral sector’s “transformation” was dependent on “strategic partners”, terming China’s role “central” in the matter.
“Chinese enterprises bring advanced expertise to the entire mining value chain, including geological surveying, modern extraction techniques, mineral processing, smelting, refining and manufacturing,” the minister said.
He held that existing projects with China, such as “Sandak copper gold, Duddar lead-zinc, and Thar coal demonstrate what the partnership can achieve”.
“Our objective now is to move decisively, and beyond extraction,” the minister said.
He elaborated that Pakistan is seeking to “develop mineral processing plants, smelters, refining facilities and mineral-based industrial [..] linked with special economic zones and transport corridors”.
On that note, he also suggested the establishment of a “Nokundi, Mashkel, Turbat, Gwadar corridor, through which we will be able to link the mineral sector in Balochistan to the Gwadar port”.
Iqbal noted that “the country hosts around 5,000 operational mines, producing nearly 68.5 million metric tonnes”.
However, Pakistan’s mineral exports stood at a “modest” estimate of $2 billion, the minister said, and added that the exports contribute “only 2-3 per cent to the GDP”.
The minister noted that despite having a “whole range of granite from Turbat to Chitral”, the country remained unable to utilise the full potential of the industry.
“We are still using blasting technology and destroying the value of the valuable treasure we have,” he added, calling for the need to bring in modern technology to enhance mineral extraction in Pakistan.
The minister further said that “only 40pc of Pakistan’s land had been geologically mapped, while 90pc of our exports are either raw or [..]”.
“Mineral exports have the potential to reach $6-8bn annually within this decade,” he stressed.
The minister also held that the mining initiatives should “strengthen national cohesion, rather than deepening disparities”.
He stressed that the people of Balochistan and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa “must see tangible results in the form of job skills, infrastructure, education, and health services”.
The minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards the safety and security of Chinese nationals, terming it a “top national priority”.
“The future of Pakistan-China mineral cooperation lies in co-creating values, innovation, human capital development, and long-term partnerships,” the minister said.
He extended an invitation to Chinese enterprises to “take a leading role in copper, gold, antimony, tungsten, rare earth elements and other critical minerals shaping the future of clean energy and advanced manufacturing”.
“With China as our trusted partner, we can convert mineral wealth into industrial strength, export competitiveness and shared prosperity,” the minister maintained.
In a joint communique issued earlier this month, the two countries had vowed to build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with mining as one of the key sectors. Pakistan exports nearly $1.2bn worth of copper ore to China annually.
Last year, Pakistan also formally entered the global critical minerals market by dispatching its first shipment of enriched rare earth elements and critical minerals to Missouri-based US Strategic Metals (USSM) under a $500m agreement.
The consignment sent on Oct 2, 2025, signaled Pakistan’s evolution from a resource-rich yet underutilised economy into an emerging player in strategic global supply chains.
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