Pakistan announces 13 mineral cooperation deals

Deals part of efforts to move away from exporting raw materials, unprocessed minerals

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Friday announced over a dozen mineral cooperation agreements with foreign companies and countries, declaring that it would move away from exporting raw materials and unprocessed minerals as it seeks to reshape its economic and development priorities.

At the concluding day of the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir both emphasised that Pakistan wanted investors to build complete value chains, starting from exploration to finished products, instead of just exporting raw materials.

In his speech, the premier called for Pakistan's mineral resources to be developed alongside environmental protection, stressing that mining projects must follow international standards and use modern technology to safeguard water resources and workers' health and safety.

Read: PM Shehbaz calls for mineral development alongside environmental protection

Shehbaz said Pakistan wanted investment partnerships extending beyond extraction to processing and manufacturing. He described such arrangements as the foundation of fair and equitable partnerships that would create value for Pakistan while offering significant opportunities to investors.

PM Sharif invites global investors to explore Pakistan’s mineral resources as PMIF26 concludes with 13 agreements and MoUs in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/tteUjzw0PW

— Pakistan TV Digital (@PakistanTVcom) November 13, 2026

While also clearing doubts over the future of the Reko-Diq project, Barrick Gold Executive Chairman John Thornton said that his company, which owns a 50% stake in the project, “intends to continue to be a long-term partner of Pakistan”.

Pakistan also entered into two memoranda of understanding with Ivanhoe Atlantic, a US firm that possessed modern technology to unearth minerals.

New cooperation deals

Pakistani companies finalised 13 joint ventures, memoranda of understanding and agreements with foreign companies on the last day of the conference.

PMIF 26: Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik witnessed the signing ceremony of an agreement between Ivanhoe Atlantic and Mari Minerals for the exploration of copper and gold deposits in Chagai, Balochistan. pic.twitter.com/g4Qqbkcqon

— Petroleum Division, Ministry of Energy (@Official_PetDiv) November 13, 2026

A joint venture agreement was signed between Lidiya Mining of Turkiye and Mari Minerals (Private) Limited for the exploration and development of mineral opportunities in Chagai, Balochistan.

Another joint venture agreement was announced between MSALABS Limited, UK, a subsidiary of Capital Limited and Mari MSA Labs (Private) Limited to establish a state-of-the-art mineral assay commercial laboratory in Pakistan.

The third joint venture strategic framework between MTA International Company (MTAIC), Turkiye and Mari Minerals (Private) Limited was announced to undertake mineral exploration and development of mining projects in Chagai, Balochistan.

One of the major announcements was an MOU between the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and Ivanhoe Mines for a joint collaboration for mineral exploration and mining projects in Chagai, Balochistan. Ivanhoe Mines founder and co-chairman Robert Freiland and FWO CEO Engineer Abdul Sami signed the deal.

بانی و ایگزیکٹو شریک چیئرمین آئیون ھو مائنز، رابرٹ فریڈلینڈ کی وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف سے ملاقات

ملاقات میں پاکستان منرلز انویسٹمنٹ فورم کے موقع پر مفاہمتی یادداشتوں کے تبادلے پر بھی تبادلہ خیال کیا گیا۔

"پاکستان کو ترجیحی معدنیاتی سرمایہ کاری کی منزل قرار دینا، عالمی سرمایہ… pic.twitter.com/ZUSCSncRft

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) November 13, 2026

Japan and Pakistan exchanged the statement of intent to further strengthen support for the Geological Survey of Pakistan.

In addition, the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration of Turkiye (MTA) reached a deal.

The Geological Survey of Pakistan and Germany signed an MOU for geosciences.

A joint venture agreement was signed between MTA International Company (MTAIC), Turkiye and the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) for the exploration of antimony, copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and other critical minerals in Pishin, Balochistan.

Likewise, the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the British Geological Survey signed an MOU on cooperation in geosciences.

A joint venture deal was announced between International Geosciences Services and the PMDC for JORC-compliant gemstone resource assessment (GRE) and the development of a replicable model mine.

Two agreements were also signed at the conclusion. An agreement was signed between Shift Geophysics and Southern Geosciences for an airborne geophysical survey. The second agreement was signed between Fleet Space ANT for ambient noise tomography.

Pakistan's mineral reserves are estimated at around $8 trillion and spread over 600,000 square kilometres, according to the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (ICMA). The vast mineral resources highlight the massive economic potential of the mining sector. The sector has historically contributed less than 3% to the gross domestic product (GDP). With strong governance and security, annual mineral exports could rise from about $3 billion to $8 billion, and GDP growth could climb from roughly 3% to 6%.

The challenge, however, is to turn the geological potential into bankable projects, exports, jobs and industrial capacity. This requires more than mining and greater focus on exploration, geological data, modern technology, infrastructure, financing, predictable regulation, environmental safeguards and partnerships with international companies.