What can Afghanistan do with its lithium reserves?

Afghanistan can leverage its lithium reserves to drive local development, promote economic stability, and ensure long-term national growth by maintaining control over its resources and implementing necessary reforms. The international community should support these efforts to create a sustainable and prosperous future for the Afghan people.

Is a lithium-ion battery race taking place in Afghanistan?

While Goldman Sachs predicts a tripling of the lithium market by 2025, a race to secure supplies is taking place in Afghanistan. The lithium-ion battery story begins with chemistry and ends with innovation.

Will lithium demand increase in Afghanistan?

Most researchers agree that lithium demand will only increase. Afghanistan’s estimated reserves put it among global leaders — if the metal can be extracted. With the Taliban capturing Kabul on the August 15, Afghanistan is predicted to soon lose most of its Western investors.

How much is the lithium buried in Afghanistan worth?

A decade earlier, the U.S. Defense Department, guided by the surveys of American government geologists, concluded that the vast wealth of lithium and other minerals buried in Afghanistan might be worth $1 trillion, more than enough to prop up the country’s fragile government.

Will Afghanistan's lithium mines be cost-efficient?

Even if Afghanistan’s mountains prove to hold high-quality lithium, the mines will be cost-efficient only if new roads, railways, ore-processing plants and power plants are built around them. Not a problem, say China’s strategic thinkers.

Does Afghanistan need a lithium monopoly?

Afghanistan must limit dependence on investments driven mainly by external strategic interests. Maintaining control over its lithium reserves is equally critical, necessitating a robust national framework for extraction and processing.