Afghanistan’s High-Tech Rock Collectors
dump...@hotmail.com
asked by the Afghan government to figure out if
there were any undiscovered, valuable minerals
in the country: coal, iron, gas, even oil — anything
that might help Kabul fund badly-needed rebuilding.
The Navy plane used “hyper-spectral” cameras and
radars to chart mineral deposits, while an Air Force
WB-57 — a modified, Vietnam-era bomber —
scanned with an infrared sensor. USAID funded the
work."
"What did the Survey’s rock collectors find?
“Afghanistan has significant amounts of undiscovered
non-fuel mineral resources,” according to the agency’s
2007 report. “Mineral resources present a great source
for a country’s industrial growth.” In addition to large
quantities of accessible iron and copper, there are
“abundant deposits of colored stones and gemstones,
including emerald, ruby [and] sapphire.”
There’s a twist. Kabul had exclusive access to the data
gathered by the planes. And when it came time to sell
the data along with exploration rights for potential copper
mines, Kabul picked a Chinese company — even though
the U.S. government had done all the survey work, for
free."
See:
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/08/dr-book-club-afghanistans-high-tech-rock-collectors/
What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
Keith Willshaw
<dump...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9b185174-0b49-4421...@v15g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
> There�s a twist. Kabul had exclusive access to the data
> gathered by the planes. And when it came time to sell
> the data along with exploration rights for potential copper
> mines, Kabul picked a Chinese company � even though
> the U.S. government had done all the survey work, for
> free."
> See:
> http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/08/dr-book-club-afghanistans-high-tech-rock-collectors/
> What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
They seem to have learned the lessons of the free market very well.
The Chinese are closer, cheaper and have a high domestic demand
for the materials involved. It is in fact an eminently sensible decision.
Given the amount of manufacturing the US has outsourced to China
you can hardly complain if the Afghans do the same.
Keith
Bill Phillips
"Keith Willshaw" <ke...@nospam.kwillshaw.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:IRwhm.227516$l73.1...@newsfe11.ams2...
>
> <dump...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:9b185174-0b49-4421...@v15g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>> There's a twist. Kabul had exclusive access to the data
>> gathered by the planes. And when it came time to sell
>> the data along with exploration rights for potential copper
>> the U.S. government had done all the survey work, for
>> free."
>
>> See:
>
>> http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/08/dr-book-club-afghanistans-high-tech-rock-collectors/
>
>> What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
>
> They seem to have learned the lessons of the free market very well.
> The Chinese are closer, cheaper and have a high domestic demand
> for the materials involved. It is in fact an eminently sensible decision.
>
> Given the amount of manufacturing the US has outsourced to China
> you can hardly complain if the Afghans do the same.
>
> Keith
>
Agreed.
It would not surprise me if half of the raw materials end up in the USA, as
Chinese manufactured goods.
Jim Wilkins
> ...And when it came time to sell
> the data along with exploration rights for potential copper
> mines, Kabul picked a Chinese company — even though
> the U.S. government had done all the survey work, for
> free."
>
> See:
>
>
> What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
Ore is bulk cargo. Afghanistan has no railroad net and is 2000km from
the ocean by road, but is on the Silk Road to China.
jsw
Ian B MacLure
2bdcf8...@k19g2000yqn.googlegroups.com:
So they're going to export the ore by camel caravan?
IBM
Jim Wilkins
> Jim Wilkins <kb1...@gmail.com> wrote in news:74023945-3fe2-4a6d-8ee9-
>
> > On Aug 15, 1:27 am, dumpst...@hotmail.com wrote:
> >> ...And when it came time to sell
> >> the data along with exploration rights for potential copper
> >> mines, Kabul picked a Chinese company — even though
> >> the U.S. government had done all the survey work, for
> >> free."
>
> >> See:
>
> >>http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/08/dr-book-club-afghanistans-hig...
>
> >> What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
>
> > Ore is bulk cargo. Afghanistan has no railroad net and is 2000km from
> > the ocean by road, but is on the Silk Road to China.
>
> So they're going to export the ore by camel caravan?
>
> IBM
David E. Powell
>
> What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
If the US had coordinated with them the "Unocal pipeline" conspiracy
nuts would have gone to town so maybe they had to do it that way.
I agree it makes sense to team up. Much like Clancy's novel "The Bear
and the Dragon" some areas of the world never had big surveys so who
knows what might be there? There's always satellite imagng by US
satellites though that is a question of whether we are allowed to use
gov't satellites commercially.
As for the lack of rail network, a good find would be a heck of a
reason to build and defend one. Build it through Pakistan to the sea,
the opportunity might have the Pakistani gov't get on board as well.
The railroad could bring goods and communications back the other way
too. Win win situation. It would have to be defended, but there is
also opportunity there if you play the surveillance game right.
Keith Willshaw
"Ian B MacLure" <i...@svpal.org> wrote in message
news:Xns9C68B7B4BE...@216.196.97.131...
> Jim Wilkins <kb1...@gmail.com> wrote in news:74023945-3fe2-4a6d-8ee9-
> 2bdcf8...@k19g2000yqn.googlegroups.com:
>
>> On Aug 15, 1:27 am, dumpst...@hotmail.com wrote:
>>> ...And when it came time to sell
>>> the data along with exploration rights for potential copper
>>> the U.S. government had done all the survey work, for
>>> free."
>>>
>>> See:
>>>
>>> http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/08/dr-book-club-afghanistans-hig...
>>>
>>> What wonderful allies the Afghans are..........
>>
>> Ore is bulk cargo. Afghanistan has no railroad net and is 2000km from
>> the ocean by road, but is on the Silk Road to China.
>
> So they're going to export the ore by camel caravan?
>
> IBM
>
It is no longer correct to state that Iran has no rail links. Part of the
proposal
by a chinese company to open a copper mine at Anyak was a rail link from
Iran to Herat. The last report I heard stated that the railway was under
construction
and that the Germans had negotiated a deal with Iran that would allow the
railway to
move non military supplies for their forces in Afghanistan.
There is an existing rail link from Uzbekistan that stops at the border. It
was built by
the Soviets in the 80's. Part of the development plan being implemented
by international agencies is an extension of this line to Mazar-e-Sharif .
In 2001 the railway bridge crossing Amu-Darya was reopened following talks
between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Uzbek President Islam
Karimov.
Since then relief supplies have been entering Afghanistan via this route.
A press release issued on 14th August 2009 stated that work on the extension
would start within 4 months and that a team was already surveying the
route.
Keith
Keith Willshaw
"David E. Powell" <David_Po...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:3b9f349a-e16a-4369...@w41g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
> As for the lack of rail network, a good find would be a heck of a
> reason to build and defend one. Build it through Pakistan to the sea,
> the opportunity might have the Pakistani gov't get on board as well.
There is an existing railway through Pakistan via the Khyber pass
to the Afghan border built in colonial times. However you may not
want to go that route. It passes through some of the most unstable
tribal areas in both countries which makes security a major headache.
There is an existing line built by the Soviets via Uzbekistan which
currently
ends at the border but work is under way on an extension to Mazar-e-Sharif
funded by the Asian Development Bank. Relief supplies already come
in on this route.
Another line from Iran to Harat is under construction funded by a chinese
company which plans on opening a copper mine at Anyak. Security on
both these routes is much easier as they are not passing through areas
in which the Taliban have any serious presence.
Keith
twostr...@hotmail.com
David E. Powell
Also, I wonder if there was a conscious effort to recruit U.S. Mining firms?
The Chinese tend to bring in a lot of their own people to run the mines, if the U.S. ones hired more locals it could be a selling point.
That said I see your points. Also there's a coldhearted argument to be made that having China involved might cause them to have more incentive to help keep the current system in place in Afghanistan. Interests and all.