Minerals in Afghanistan could be worth $1 trillion

[Earlshog]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/14/report-1-trillion-in-untapped-minerals-found-in-afghanistan/?hpt=T2

[underdog]

I think that's street value.

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

I hope we learn from our mistakes and hit those blue people hard and fast.

[Willmore]

I knew that already, here's the natural resource:

http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/files/images/afghanistan-opium-poppy.JPG


But seriously, the Soviets have prospected the area in the 80s and could have told you that already. The problem in Afghanistan isn't a lack of resources, it's an unstable nation with a high risk factor for developing those resources. Do you see any company going in there right now, knowing the corruption level and threat level from the Taliban? Even given large reserves, it's more cost-efficient to develop elsewhere.

[A.J.]

The problem in Afghanistan isn't a lack of resources, it's an unstable nation with a high risk factor for developing those resources. Do you see any company going in there right now, knowing the corruption level and threat level from the Taliban? Even given large reserves, it's more cost-efficient to develop elsewhere.

This. It's pretty much the same reason why Nigeria isn't a ridiculously wealthy country with its own large oil reserves.

[foodcourtdruide]

I hope we learn from our mistakes and hit those blue people hard and fast.

This comment made my office laugh.

[foodcourtdruide]

This. It's pretty much the same reason why Nigeria isn't a ridiculously wealthy country with its own large oil reserves.

I'm not overly familiar with the geography of the nation, but if these minerals were off in the mountains or in currently desolate areas, would this have such a huge impact? Afghanistan is gigantic.

[Willmore]

I'm not overly familiar with the geography of the nation, but if these minerals were off in the mountains or in currently desolate areas, would this have such a huge impact? Afghanistan is gigantic.

In the mountains = where the Taliban is. Not a good place to develop.

[underdog]

Would it be considered irony that a country as nutty as Afghanistan has one of the world's largest supplies of lithium?

[WRESTLINGFAN]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOY3-wjLBk&feature=fvst

[torker]

I knew that already, here's the natural resource:

http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/files/images/afghanistan-opium-poppy.JPG



Poppies... Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep. Sleeeeep. ...

[A.J.]

Poppies... Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep. Sleeeeep. ...

Rugs....not drugs!

http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090412-warrug-hmed-10a.hmedium.jpg

[StanUpshaw]

No blood for cobalt.