Afghanistan Might Have Massive Lithium Reserves - Potential Mineral Riches

While Bolivia is known to have a significant part of the lithium reserves in the world, this might change drastically.  The Afghan government recently announced that American geologists found "huge lithium deposits amounts" in Afghanistan's Ghazni province.  These new discoveries are part of a survey that has found large deposits of key exportable minerals including zinc, gold, and copper in the country.  Large parts of it are in conflicted areas.     Apparently decades of conflict prevented this kind of wide-ranging survey, though many Afghan geologists have known of mineral riches and kept it quiet due to the political situation.

The New York Times reported the $1 trillion figure in Monday's edition and quoted senior American officials as saying untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan are far beyond any previously known reserves and were enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself.
Americans discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, including iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium, according to the report. The Times quoted a Pentagon memo as saying Afghanistan could become the "Saudi Arabia of lithium," a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and cell phones.

 Then there is this quote from the New York Times article specifically talking about the Lithium

Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the world’s largest known lithium reserves.

The Lithium part should wake up not only Bolivia, but also Chile and Argentina, because a sizeable deposit of Lithium in Afghanistan, could mean rapid exploitation and export of an alternative to South American lithium.   The weight of the U.S. and the Afghan desire for revenue and development, can mean that even in a conflicted area, resources could be brought to bear in developing the industry.  

EDIT -

Bolivia's government has said its plans for lithium development are "not affected" by news of the Afghan lithium.   The Presidency's official spokesman said, "Afghanistan is a country practically at war" - actually an understatement.   With atypical restraint the official continued that he was not sure how easy it would be to "resolve" the conflict issue in Afghanistan, implying it is not a problem for Bolivia.  

Brazil cuts Bolivia Gas Purchases, Invests in Peru

While Evo Morales is praised by his usual international apologists for his dominant re-election and inaguration, the consequences of his disastrous econommic policies and ideological stupidity continue to ruin Bolivia's long term prospects.

Brazil - Bolivia's largest gas customer - has announced it will cut back on purchases of Bolivian natural gas.

Meanwhile Brazilian president Lula was conspicuously absent from buddy Evo's inagural ceremony. Lula happened to be in Peru with his ministers and top Petrobras officials, negotiating an energy pact which includes Brazilian investment for exploration of Peruvian oil and gas fields, and to help develop its petro-chemical sector.

As Bolivian writer and analyst, Humberto Vacaflor, wryly observed also absent was Christina Kirchner who was negotiating with Toyota. Over what? Over Argentine lithium, and the Japanese automaker cut a deal with the Argentinians. Bolivia, has the largest lithium reserves in the world, but in large part thanks to Evo and his silly ideology it looks Bolivia is again seen as an erratic and unreliable source.

While Bolivias government continues its self-defeatist anti-capitalist policies, its neighbors, with less reserves of things like gas and lithium, are able to get the investments and markets needed to help its people. Morales talks about industrializing natural gas and lithium. Meanwhile, it is Peru that is getting the know-how and foreign investment for its petro-chemical sector, and Argentina that is getting Toyota's investment. Socialism rocks!!