Pakistan has signed 13 mineral cooperation agreements with international companies and foreign partners to attract investment, expand mineral exploration and establish local processing industries. The initiative aims to reduce the country’s reliance on exporting raw minerals and encourage greater domestic value addition.
The agreements were announced during the concluding session of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in Islamabad, attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. Both leaders emphasised the development of complete mineral value chains, covering exploration, extraction, processing and manufacturing.
Government Highlights Investment and Environmental Protection
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said mineral development should go hand in hand with environmental protection. He urged investors to use modern technologies and follow international standards to safeguard water resources and protect workers’ health and safety.
The prime minister also called for long-term investment partnerships that could create local economic benefits through processing and manufacturing facilities while offering opportunities to international investors.
Meanwhile, Barrick Gold Executive Chairman John Thornton reaffirmed the company’s commitment to Pakistan and its long-term involvement in the Reko Diq project. Barrick holds a 50 per cent stake in the major gold and copper development.
Pakistan Expands Cooperation with International Companies
Pakistan signed two memorandums of understanding with US-based Ivanhoe Atlantic to strengthen cooperation in mineral exploration and development. The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and Ivanhoe Mines also signed an MoU covering joint cooperation in mineral exploration and mining activities in Balochistan.
Other agreements included a joint venture between Turkiye’s Lidiya Mining and Mari Minerals to explore and develop mineral resources in Chagai, Balochistan. MSALABS Limited of the United Kingdom and Mari MSA Labs agreed to establish a modern commercial mineral testing laboratory in Pakistan.
Turkiye’s MTA International Company and Mari Minerals also entered into an arrangement to support exploration and mining projects in Chagai.
PMDC Joint Venture Targets Critical Minerals in Balochistan
The Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) entered into a joint venture with MTA International Company to explore antimony, copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and other critical minerals in Pishin, Balochistan.
Additional agreements cover cooperation with Japan to strengthen the Geological Survey of Pakistan, geological research with Turkiye and Germany, and collaboration with the British Geological Survey. Other initiatives include gemstone resource assessment, development of a model mine, airborne geophysical surveys and ambient noise tomography.
Pakistan’s Mineral Potential and Economic Opportunities
According to the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (ICMA), Pakistan’s mineral reserves are estimated at approximately $8 trillion and extend across nearly 600,000 square kilometres. Despite this resource potential, the mining sector has historically contributed less than 3 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The estimates suggest that annual mineral exports could rise from around $3 billion to $8 billion. Economic growth could potentially increase from approximately 3 per cent to 6 per cent with improvements in governance and security.
However, turning mineral resources into sustainable economic gains will require investment in infrastructure, geological research, modern technology and financing, alongside regulatory stability and environmental safeguards.
The 13 agreements represent an effort to expand international partnerships, strengthen mineral exploration and develop local processing capacity so Pakistan can generate greater economic value from its natural resources.
