1. Metallic Minerals
Metallic mineral deposits discovered in Balochistan province are copper, chromite, iron, lead-zinc Titanium, Manganese and antimony.
i) Copper Gold
Vast resources of copper have been discovered by the Geological Survey of Pakistan and foreign investors in Chagai district of Balochistan at Saindak, Koh-i-Dalil, Dash-i-Kain, Durban Chah, Kabul Koh, Ziarat Pir Sultan Rekodiq and a number of other places. Saindak and Rekodiq deposit have been fully evaluated and its reserves and grades are given in Table 1. Other prospects, containing thousands of million tons of copper ore are waiting details for evaluation.
Total recoverable metals from Saindak deposit will be 1.69 million tons of copper. 2.24 million ounces of gold and 2.49 million ounces of silver, worth thousands of million dollars.
ii. Chromite Ore
There are a number of small deposits and occurrences of chromite in various parts of Pakistan, but commercial production has been almost entirely restricted to Balochistan. In the past, the most significant and the best known area in the whole of Pakistan was the Zhob Valley, which had the privilege of being the only chrome ore producing center in the country. Other occurrences of chromite in the province includes those of the Ras Koh Range in western Balochistan and Wadh deposits of Khuzdar district in southern Balochistan. The deposits are characterized by variable sizes and forms. The ore bodies are generally small and average 5,000 to 10,000 tons, In Wad area, chromite is lumpy in nature and of good quality.
The Zhob valley deposits in northeastern Balochistan are the best known both materially and internationally. Total estimated reserves of chromite in the province are not exactly known however, previously one million tons of chromite had been reported. The chromite mining started in 1903 on small scale, and is continuing today at the rate of 15,000 to 20,000 tons per year.
iii. Iron Ore
Several deposits of iron ore have been found in Chagai district of Balochistan. Most of these are fairly rich in iron but small in size. Notable deposits of iron ore occur at Pachin Koh, Chigendik and Chilgazi in Chagai district and Dilband area of Kalat district. Total estimated iron ore reserves are about 273 million tons.
iv. Lead-Zinc
Ore A number of lead-zinc occurrences have been identified in Lasbella and Khuzdar districts. Three of these occurrences, at Duddar, Gunga and Surmai, have been evaluated by the Geological Survey of Pakistan. Total reserves of lead-zinc, estimated so far, stand at over 26 million tons (Table 3) Drill exploration of other known showings will substantially increase the reserve base.
v. Antimony Ore
Antimony ore is found near Qila Abdullah. These occurrences are small and only a few are being mined annually at present.
NON-METALLIC MINERALS
Non-metallic mineral deposits of Balochistan include coal, fluorite, barite gypsum and anhydrite, limestone and dolomite, magnetite, onyx, marble, sand and gravel and sulphur.
1. Coal
Coal in Balochistan is found in 5 coal namely; (i) Mach Abegum (ii) Khost-Shahrig-Harnai, (iii) SorRange-Sinjidi-Degari, (iv) Dukki, (v) Pir IsmailZiarat –Chamalong. Total estimated reserves of all the coal fields are 217 million tons.
Coal mining in Balochistan started on small scale before independence in Khost-Shahrig-Harnai area and is increasing with time. Coal is extracted by underground mining method. Underground mining involves a system of subsurface workings to extract any solid mineral resource that cannot be worked at the surface. Most mines consist of one or more means of access via vertical shafts, horizontal adits, or inclined roadways. These are used for transport of men, machinery, material and the extracted ore and waste. They also form part of the system for ventilation and the control of underground water that are essential to mining operations. Indeed, in many underground mines, substantial amounts of energy are expended in pumping air and water to keep the working areas dry and well ventilated. The coal fields of Balochistan have been extensively worked through underground mining to variable depths. Most of the workings are at substantial depths. However, in some places the coal mining has reached as deep as 3500 feet.
2. Fluorite
Substantial reserves of fluorite are found at Maran, Phad-i-Maran and Dilband areas of Mastung district. The total estimated reserves are about 100,000 tons.
3. BariteBarite Huge reserves of barite are found in Lasbella and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan. Total estimated reserves are over 30 million tons. The Khuzdar barite is being mined open-pit method. Average annual production is about 25,000 tons.
4. Gypsum and AnhydriteGypsum and anhydrite deposits of Balochistan occur at Spintangi in Sibi district and a Chamalong-Bahlol in Loralai district. The gypsum deposit are inter-bedded with shale and are upto 2 m thick and are several kilometers in lateral extent. The reserves have been estimated as over 7 million tons. Mining has been done by open pit method. Annual production these days is almost negligible.
5. Onyx MarbleThe well known high quality onyx deposits of Chagai belt of Balochistan, occur at several localities in the central and western parts. Among these the main deposits are Zard Kan, Patkok, Julhi, Butak, Mashki Chah, Tozghi and Zeh. The Chagai onyx marble is locally called “malmal”. The estimated reserves of marble in the province are more than 12 million tons. Onyx marble deposit of Chagai district are large enough provide room for sizable quarries with little or no overburden. Marble here is mined by quarrying method. Marble mining in Chagai district began in the fifties. However, the marble production has never been constant.
6. MagnesiteMagnesite occurs at Wad in Khuzdar district and Muslimbagh area of Qila Saifullah district. Total estimated reserves are not exactly known. However, the deposits are small.
Magnesite is mined by open pit method. On the average about 700 tons per year are being mined.
7. Onyx Marble The well known high quality onyx deposits of Chagai belt of Balochistan, occur at several localities in the central and western parts. Among these the main deposits are Zard Kan, Patkok, Julhi, Butak, Mashki Chah, Tozghi and Zeh. The Chagai onyx marble is locally called “malmal”. The estimated reserves of marble in the province are more than 12 million tons. Onyx marble deposit of Chagai district are large enough provide room for sizable quarries with little or no overburden. Marble here is mined by quarrying method. Marble mining in Chagai district began in the fifties. However, the marble production has never been constant.
8. Sand and GravelIn Balochistan sand and gravel are present and widely distributed within commercially feasible distances from major population and urban centers. The reserves of sand and gravel are enormous. Although published data are not realistic, sand and gravel extraction is perhaps the biggest mining industry in Balochistan. The construction industry uses sand and gravel chiefly as aggregates in Portland cement, concerts, mortar and plaster. Mining of sand and gravel is done by open pit method.
9. Sulphur
Sulphur deposits of Chagai district are best known in Pakistan. The deposits are clustered around the southern and southwestern side of an extinct volcanic crater called, Koh-I-Sultan. Sulphur here is found in bugs and cracks as fumaroles products. Other deposits of sulphur are present near Sanni in Kachi district. Total estimated reserves of sulphur are about 787,000 tons. Mining of sulphur is done by open pit and underground methods. Annual production of sulphur is about 600 tons.
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