Is this really why we are in Afghanistan?

[Vedubin01]

This story just broke in the New York times

Does this kinda changes things on why we are truly over there? Obama is setting to ramp up the Afghanistan this fall. Discus...

"The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/wo...nerals.html?hp

[Wiglaf]

news to me but not surprising.

funny thing about discovering that stuff is you have to look for it..

lithium will be a serious money pot.

[sonnyqm3]

I have been telling people for years that USSR then U.S now is there for the natural resources that Afghanistan has. It is filled with natural gas and northwestern part of the country has oil as well. In the Panjshir Valley there is a lot of Gems since its a very mountainous area.

I hope that the country can come up with a resolution to make peace with each other, so the people can finally live in peace. Thats if Pakistan leaves them the fuk alone along with Iran. I wish the U.S would work with different government groups in AFG so we wont wont have casualties either way. Karzai and the Northern Alliance is a big fail..

[joshh]

So far I see nothing showing this to be true.

[z31maniac]

What is the metal widely used throughout high tech/military electronics?

[mrsleeve]

while I dont doubt there is some resources there I will believe it when I see the big mining outfits heading there to develop them in HUGE quantities.

If they had them in these amounts the rooskies would have been on that shit like stink on shit in the 80's and quashed the taliban into noting and been rapeing the land for all it was worth.

[ck_taft325is]

What is the metal widely used throughout high tech/military electronics?

Gold.

[Farbin Kaiber]

"Afghanistan: The Saudi Arabia of Lithium"

quoted from the AP wire today.

[Lurker27]

To answer the question, yes.

[Ryan Stewart]

"Afghanistan: The Saudi Arabia of Lithium"

quoted from the AP wire today.

So does that mean that they will produce a shit ton and the US will buy almost no lithium from them at all, instead sourcing it from the much closer Mexico and South America?

[BraveUlysses]

What is the metal widely used throughout high tech/military electronics?

Yes, there's just one.

[LBJefferies]

Apparently this is old news. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010...al-motherlode/

[Kershaw]

^ lol.

i dont believe in altruism. so im pretty sure the reason we invaded afghanistan (and iraq) is not just to "free the poor oppressed people."

[Dagamus(NM)]

Absolutely we did not invade to help anybody other than ouselves. However, any industry that can take young frustrated afghans away from relying on jihadists to provide for their family is good in my opinion. Taking advantage of natural resources can bring them into the modern world if done right. If they do it themselves it will have the same results as Nigerian mining operations.

[z31maniac]

Gold.

Yes, there's just one.

Not gold, and Brave good job at also not knowing the answer.

The particular metal I'm thinking of China has bought something like 97% of the current mining rights for.

I believe it's neodymium.