Apart from the discovery a huge deposit of antimony in Balochistan, Pakistan has also reportedly found gold, copper, nickel and cobalt reserves in Gilgit-Baltistan.
In what could potentially prove to be a major shot in the arm for Pakistan’s crumbling economy, the cash-strapped nation has reportedly discovered a massive cache of antimony– a rare earth metal used in alloys, flame retardants, and various industrial applications. The discovery was made in the conflict-torn region of Balochistan, according to reports in the Pakistani media.
As per a report by the Express Tribune, Pakistan’s state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), and Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC)– a semi-autonomous corporation attached to the country’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources– discovered large deposits of antimony in Balochistan, and have launched a 50-50 percent joint venture to extract the rare metal.
The two bodies are likely to officially announce the venture at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 which will be held from April 8-9, 2025, the report said.
According to the report, preparations are underway for conducting remote sensing and geological surveys for a comprehensive analysis of the newly discovered antimony reserve in Balochistan.