Afghanistan, the “Saudi Arabia of lithium”

The United States has discovered $1 trillion in previously unknown mineral deposits in Afghanistan, the New York Times reports. The deposits, discovered by Pentagon officials and American geologists, are so vast they could alter the war and turn Afghanistan into the “Saudi Arabia of lithium.” It’s also been speculated that this discovery may cause the Taliban to fight harder for control of the country, invite China to get involved in the development of the resources, and amplify corruption as a result of new wealth. At the very least, though, the economy—which now relies on opium production, foreign aid, and narcotic trafficking—will be transformed. An adviser to the Afghan minister of mines Jalil Jumriany said, “This will become the backbone of the Afghan economy.”

New York Times