By Naeem Lone
Around Rs. 500 million value of gemstones are extracted annually from Gilgit-Baltistan and efforts are underway to explore other precious minerals.
It has been confirmed that nearly all valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan are shedding gold and base metals but the need is investment to explore them in order to change fate of the area.
As per surveys conducted for gold and base metals carried by Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) and on the basis of Geo-chemical and hard rock samples, around 11 prospect areas confirmed gold value ranging from 0.10 to 24 Parts Per Million (PPM) in hard rock while 5 PPM gold is economical in the world, Tourism and Mineral Department official in GB told APP here Sunday.
The official said a total number of 3947 geo-chemical stream sediment samples were collected from less then one sqkm to 250 sqkm, covering 45,500 sqkm gold anomalies alone counted over 100, ranging in content from 5 PPM to 300 PPM. Around 500 samples were collected from hard rock including river floats and out crops.
A total of 50 samples pertaining to 10 areas conform gold values ranging from 0.10 ppm to 24.0 ppm according to laboratory reports, the official said and added the gold washers still recover gold from placer deposits of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The area is also rich with white colour Marble deposits of Shigar (Skardu), Nasirabad (Hunza) and Gupis (Ghizer) which are considered to be of international standard.
The other gemstones which are extracted from the area include Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Aquamarine, Tourmaline, Garnet, Fluorite, Pargasite, Spinal, Zircon, Topaz, Berylspar, Corundum, Marganite, Serpentine, Sulpher, Moonstone, Amethyst.
The official said local administration was taking a major policy initiative to expand mineral sector of Gilgit-Baltistan and also encouraging local as well foreign investment in the sector.
Accordingly, many exploration licenses and mining leases have been granted to national and foreign investors and more applications for licenses are under process.
All readers are requested to see the appended proposal and join in the attempt to preserve the economical interests of indigenous populations.
To,
The Chief Executive,
Northern Areas
Gilgit
Dear Sir,
Further to my discussions on the topic, I have the pleasure to enclose two documents as supporting material for the topic now being referred to you for a just policy decision. These documents are:
• United Nations Universal Declaration (Agenda 21: Chapter 26) titled “RECOGNIZING AND STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES”
• Government of Pakistan “National Mineral Policy (NMP) 1995.
It is a well known historical fact that residents of Northern Areas were not much concerned about the prospects for natural resource development in achieving better quality of life for themselves. In recent decades the government and many NGO’s working in the area has helped change that situation. The indigenous populations are aware of their natural resources and desire to use these for economical uplift/poverty alleviation. The Social organizations such as LSOs facilitated by AKRSP are suited to undertake their own development agenda. In the past there has been a common practice of awarding leases for mineral development to non-resident entrepreneurs and thus a number of leases are being held in detriment to development of local economy. I am appealing through these lines to:
1. Review the Northern Area Policy on awarding these leases to non residents in Future.
2. Review the existing leases, cancel them and re-award these to local collective entities.
Chief Secretary Northern Areas Only: Please recall our discussion in the presence of Mohammed Mian Soomro Chairman Senate (and Now Interim PM) and evolve a policy in the light of UN declaration referred above.
Brig (Retd) Hisamullah Beg SI(M)
House # 42, Askary Housing Scheme # 8
Airport Road, Chaklala, Rawalpindi
CC:
- Chief Executive , Northern Areas
- Speaker, Northern Areas Legislative Assembly(NALA)
- Secretary, Northern Areas Legislative Assembly(NALA)
- Secretary, Mineral & Tourism, Northern Areas
we know our land and that sky touching mountains are full of minerals but unfortunately some greedy people don’t let investor to invest. There are people who are investing but our brothers (local people) are blocking them, its been more then 3 years an investor has invested millions of PKR but the case is still their, they are asking for money already that gentleman has invested that much. as per govt rules for investing and that gentleman is in the rules but our local people are fighting against him to get more percent. this case is from Hunza (Nasirabad).
Please see the letter appended below and join in the advocacy attempt:
From: Hisamullah Beg SI(M)
To: Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan
Monday, December 24, 2007 11:36 PM
Subject: Review of Lease Policy of Mines in NAs
Dear Sir,
I have the pleasure to enclose two documents as supporting material for the topic now being referred to you for a just policy decision. These documents are:
• United Nations (Universal Declaration) Agenda 21: Chapter 26 titled “RECOGNIZING AND STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES”
• Government of Pakistan “National Mineral Policy (NMP) 1995.
It is a well known historical fact that residents of Northern Areas were not much concerned about the prospects for natural resource development in achieving better quality of life for themselves. In recent decades the government and many NGO’s working in the area has helped change that situation. The indigenous populations are aware of their natural resources and desire to use these for economical uplift. The Social organizations such as LSOs facilitated by AKRSP are suited to undertake their own development agenda. In the past there has been a common practice of awarding leases for mineral development to non-resident entrepreneurs and thus a number of leases are being held in detriment to development of local economy. I am appealing through these lines to:
1. Review the Northern Area Policy on awarding these leases to non residents in Future.
2. Review the existing leases, cancel them and re-award these to local collective entities.
Chief Secretary Northern Areas Only: Please recall our discussion in the presence of Mohammed Mian Soomro Chairman Senate (and Now Interim PM) and evolve a policy in the light of UN declaration referred above.
Sincerily,
Brig (Retd) Hisamullah Beg SI(M)