Minerals of Pakistan

Sui gas field is the biggest natural gas field in Pakistan. It is located near Sui in Baluchistan. The gas field was discovered in the late 1952 and the commercial exploitation of the field began in 1955.

Sui gas field accounts for 26% of Pakistan's gas production.[1] Remaining reserves are estimated to be at about 2 trillion cubic feet (57×10^9 m3) and the daily production is around 604 million cubic feet (17.1×10^6 m3).

The operator of the field is Pakistan Petroleum Limited.

The law and order situation in Baluchistan is a matter for concern for PPL. Repeated attacks on supply lines of natural gas from Sui gas field to rest of the country has become an order of the day. As a protective measure, Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has ordered that Frontier Corps (FC) will take charge of Sui gas fields and army soldiers will be withdrawn from all over the province.

The Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL), is a subsidiary of the Attock Group of Companies, was incorporated on November 25, 1950. In 1978, Pakistan Oilfields took over the exploration and production business of Attock Oil Company. Since then, Pakistan Oilfields has been investing independently. Pakistan Oilfields is a leading oil and gas exploration and production company listed on all the three stock exchanges of Pakistan

PMDC is an autonomous corporation under the administrative control of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources , Government of Pakistan. It was established in 1974 with an authorized capital of Rs.1,000 million to expand and help mineral development activities in the country. .

Its major functions include:

* Detailed exploration and evaluation of economic mineral deposits.

* Preparation of techno-economic feasibility reports.

* Mining

* Marketing

PMDC is operating 4 Coal Mines, 4 Salt Mines/ quarries and a silica sand quarry. PMDC shares 17% of the coal and 58% of the total salt production in the country. Its annual turn over during the year 2009-10 was Rs. 1321.000 million.

Present manpower strength of PMDC is given hereunder as on 30.06.2010-:

Officers         77

Supervisors              15

Regular Staff/ workers     855

Daily wage/ contract workers    30

Piece rate workers             1051

Total   2,028

Within its charter PMDC joins hands with local and international private and semi-autonomous/autonomous agencies as joint ventures both for exploration and mining.

Joint Ventures with FATA Development* Exploration & Resource estimation for Coal Sherani Area, F.K.D.I Khan.

* Exploration and Development of Copper in North Waziristan.

PMDC provides free medical facilities to its mining community and all other employees. It is also running two Secondary Schools, one Women College at graduate level and a Mine Survey Institute imparting education to the mining as well as local community. It has developed a tourist resort at Khewra to cater social services and save national mining heritage.

swat Valley is rich of GOD gifted mineral resources. Most of the minerals in swat belong to family 10 in periodic table. Therefore these minerals are valueable and internationally recognized. They include Sulphides, oxides and Hydroxides, Nit rats, Carbonates and Borates, Silicates and other unclassified minerals. The list having 18 entries in that 14 are valid minerals. Following are the minerals, which have been already found and successfully explored for commercial use.

Mines' production plays important roles in the economy of a country, particularly in the regions where they exist, because, the local people get the opportunities to labor in, and earn their livelihood. But the Swat mines have no importance for the local people in this respect. It is necessary, however, to mention what they are, and where do they exist.
Swat is rich in mineral wealth, but the discovered commodities are a few. Among them, the china clay stands first; others are marble stone, and emerald.

Most of the minerals in swat belong to family 10 in periodic table.Therefore these minerals are valueable and internationaly recognised. They include Sulphides, oxides and Hydroxides, Nitrats, Carbonates and Borates, Silicates and other unclassified minerals. The list having 18 entries in that 14 are valid minerals

Posted by: 

Zain Areesh Zulfiqar Ali 

            &

Sharique Pervaiz