By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s vast reserves of critical minerals are attracting growing global attention, but persistent militancy in border regions is complicating efforts to develop the resource-rich areas, according to a CNN report.

Deep in the rugged mountains of South Waziristan, near the Afghan border, the Muhammad Khel Copper Mine produced around 22,000 tons of copper last year -- worth hundreds of millions of dollars -- which was exported to China.

Nearby, another site is believed to hold reserves nearly ten times larger, highlighting the country’s untapped potential.

Pakistani officials estimate the nation could be sitting on nearly $8 trillion worth of minerals, including copper, lithium, cobalt, gold, and antimony. The promise of these resources has reportedly strengthened ties with the United States, which is seeking to secure supply chains for critical minerals amid strategic competition with China.

CNN reported that the US Export-Import Bank approved $1.25 billion in financing to support mining projects at Reko Diq in Balochistan -- home to one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposits.

Experts say demand for copper is expected to surge globally as economies electrify and digitize, potentially increasing from 30 million tons annually to 50 million tons by 2050.

However, much of Pakistan’s mineral wealth lies in regions affected by decades-long insurgencies that have intensified since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

During a visit to some of the country’s most volatile areas, CNN journalists were shown caches of US-made rifles and machine guns allegedly seized from militants -- equipment believed to have been left behind during the Afghan war.

The presence of advanced weaponry has added to security challenges for Pakistan as it attempts to attract foreign investment. CNN cited a recent militant attack near the western town of Wana, where Pakistani Taliban fighters targeted a facility close to mining areas.

At a hospital in Peshawar, the network met wounded security personnel, including a 30-year-old guard who lost both legs after militants ambushed the convoy he was protecting near the copper mine. He told CNN the attackers appeared to carry “different and better” weapons.

Despite the risks, Pakistan is pushing ahead with mining development, hoping resource revenues could help stabilize an economy that has relied on repeated International Monetary Fund bailouts. Military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Choudhry told CNN that the United States “has a lot to offer for the people and stability and prosperity of Pakistan.”

The renewed focus on Pakistan’s mineral sector also reflects a broader geopolitical contest. China currently dominates the processing of rare earth minerals --key components in technologies ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles -- while Washington is seeking alternative sources.

As global powers compete for access to critical resources, Pakistan finds itself at the center of a high-stakes opportunity—one that could transform its economic future but remains tightly intertwined with the country’s ongoing security challenges.