ECONOMY — April 1, 2026
Contract Signed for Salt Extraction in Herat's Ghoryan District with $5.342 Million Investment
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed a 15-year contract with a domestic company for salt extraction from Block Five in Herat's Ghoryan district, involving a $5.342 million investment and royalties of 1,500 Afghanis per ton. Minister Mullah Hayatullah Badri stated the company must provide social services, environmental protection, and about 110 jobs.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with RTA — 2 min read
HERAT, Afghanistan (Afghan Verified) - A contract has been signed for the extraction of salt from Block Five of the Namaksar area in Ghoryan district, Herat province, between the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and a domestic company.
Minister Mullah Hayatullah Badri announced the agreement, which involves an investment of $5.342 million. The contract spans 15 years and stipulates a royalty payment of 1,500 Afghanis per ton of salt extracted.
The domestic company is obligated to provide social services to local communities, ensure environmental protection during operations, and create approximately 110 jobs for residents in the area.
Badri provided details on the terms during the announcement, emphasizing the conditional nature of the royalty based on compliance with the outlined requirements. The deal aims to boost local economic activity through responsible resource extraction in the Namaksar salt deposits.
The ministry's move aligns with efforts to develop Afghanistan's mining sector by partnering with domestic firms, fostering investment while imposing safeguards for social and environmental standards.
Read the original reporting at RTA →
Reliability assessment
Single source (RTA) provides direct, on-record attribution to named Minister Mullah Hayatullah Badri with concrete, checkable details including specific location (Block Five, Namaksar, Ghoryan, Herat), exact investment (5,342,000 USD), royalty (1,500 AFN/ton), duration (15 years), and employment (110 people).
The source language reads straight.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
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RTA
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Economy — Herat, Ghoryan, Namaksar, Mullah Hayatullah Badri, Ministry of Mines and Petroleum
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