Find Mining expertise in Pakistan

The mining industry in Pakistan accounted for 2.9% of GDP in 2009, and posted a growth rate of 2.7% in the same year. Pakistan has many exploitable resources but the sector is hampered by a shortage of investment capital and periods of political instability. Industrial minerals produced in Pakistan include limestone, salt, gypsum and aragonite; and metallic minerals mined include bauxite, iron ore and copper. The mining and mineral industry as a whole employed 1.6% of the labour force in 2009.

Despite reforms made in 1995, the mining industry remains influenced by public sector companies. The three large, state-owned companies are Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), Saindak Metals and Lakhra Coal Development Company. Just one of these companies, PMCD, produces 17% of all coal production in Pakistan. Coal is a potential source that could meet Pakistan’s energy requirements for the future, as Pakistan has the fourth largest reserves of coal in the world. A recent exploration of the Thar coalfield estimated that this field alone contained 100 billion metric tons of lignite coal.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has oversight for the industry, as well as for the three state-owned mining companies.

Pakistan is incredibly rich in resources, particularly in dimension stone such as marble and slate. Marble is by far the leader in the industry, with production accounting for 78% and an estimated 166 billion tons in deposits. Found primarily in northern Pakistan, throughout the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, marble is a rich resource for the country and is found in various coveted shades, textures and patterns including gold marble. Most of the industry is focused on domestic consumption with a very small percentage exported. However, global exports have significantly increased since 2010, especially throughout Europe. Granite and limestone are other major quarried resources, but on a much smaller scale than marble.