ISLAMABAD: Finland-based industrial giant Metso is interested in providing modern mining technology and training to the local workforce for the Reko Diq copper and gold mine project, Pakistan’s railways ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.
The Reko Diq mine, located in Pakistan’s largest and poorest southwestern Balochistan province, is among the world’s biggest untapped deposits of copper and gold, with the project estimated to generate $90 billion over the next 37 years. The project, long stalled by legal disputes and political wrangling, was revived after a 2022 settlement with Canada’s Barrick Gold. Islamabad has since touted the mine as a potential driver of growth and foreign exchange earnings.
Pakistan’s Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani met the president of Metso’s Minerals division, Pia Karhu, in Islamabad to discuss investment opportunities in Pakistan’s minerals sector, the railways ministry said.
“Ms. Karhu stated that Metso would provide modern mining technology and equipment, and would also offer training to the local workforce,” the railways ministry said. “She shared the company’s future plans, stating that Metso intends to participate in the Reko Diq project by providing mining technology and services.”
