The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), in partnership with the Government of Pakistan and strategic collaborators, will host the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25) on April 8-9 at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad. A prominent U.S. delegation, headed by Eric Meyer, is expected to attend. The forum aims to create a premium platform for international stakeholders to investigate investment opportunities in Pakistan’s burgeoning minerals sector, thereby facilitating the exploration and utilization of the country’s vast mineral resources.
Pakistan possesses significant mineral wealth, encompassing a territorial expanse of approximately 600,000 square kilometers. Among the 92 identified mineral types, 52 are currently being commercially extracted, resulting in an annual production of nearly 68.52 million metric tons. The minerals sector demonstrates a favorable growth trajectory, averaging between 2-3% annually, buoyed by the presence of over 5,000 active mines and close to 50,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which collectively provide direct employment for around 300,000 individuals.
The country harbors the fifth-largest reserves of copper and gold, in addition to the second-largest coal deposits. Furthermore, it is estimated to have substantial reserves of billions of barrels of crude oil.
Despite this impressive potential, the minerals sector’s contribution to Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remains limited to approximately 3%, with national exports accounting for merely about 0.1% of the global total. There exists an urgent imperative to enhance these statistics, and the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25) serves as a pivotal initiative aimed at addressing this challenge.
As global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, Pakistan’s extensive yet underutilized mineral resources represent a significant opportunity.
For several decades, Pakistan has possessed substantial reserves of critical minerals, including lithium, copper, rare earth elements (REEs), and various other essential resources. However, these reserves have largely remained undeveloped due to inadequate investment and deficiencies in infrastructure.
Recently, the Pakistani government has begun to acknowledge the significant potential of these natural resources and is committing considerable investments to enhance infrastructure and promote industrial growth.
This strategic shift suggests that Pakistan is poised to initiate mining and processing operations in the near term, presenting a valuable opportunity for international investors, particularly those from the United States, to engage with this burgeoning market.
The extensive deposits of critical minerals in Pakistan hold particular relevance across various sectors, including electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, semiconductor production, and aerospace and defense industries. Despite the pronounced potential, the mineral sector in Pakistan remains predominantly underexploited, offering a distinctive frontier for large-scale mining investment-a previously dormant giant within the global mineral landscape.
Traditionally, the United States has tended to overlook Pakistan in its strategic resource planning. However, ongoing negotiations regarding a U.S.-Ukraine resources agreement have revealed new avenues for the United States to engage more directly with a cooperative Pakistani government.
This development is timely as the U.S. seeks to optimize its supply chains. Rather than continuing reliance on overstretched suppliers such as Australia and Canada-where operational costs are increasing and regulatory environments are tightening-U.S. engagement with Pakistan presents a viable alternative.
The rich, untapped mineral reserves, combined with lower extraction costs and a progressively improving investment climate, position Pakistan as a favorable partner in this regard. Moreover, the global demand for rare earth minerals is currently at an unprecedented level. The transition towards sustainable energy, advancements in technology, and the modernization of military capabilities all depend on a secure and stable supply of these critical resources.
Collaborative efforts between the United States and Pakistan in the critical minerals sector are not solely economically advantageous but also embody broader geopolitical considerations. As global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, Pakistan’s extensive yet underutilized mineral resources represent a significant opportunity. By promoting investment in this emerging market, both nations can achieve not only economic benefits but also strengthen their geopolitical ties in a region of strategic importance.
The writer is a freelance columnist.