The hidden cost of Afghanistan’s gold rush

In Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province, an unseen consequence of the gold rush is wreaking havoc on the environment and the livelihoods of villagers. The Shiwa area, located 50 kilometers northeast of the provincial capital Faizabad, is witnessing the extraction of gold by thousands of miners for investors across the nation.

Farmers, once enjoying clean water and fertile land, now face the harsh reality of a polluted river and barren fields. Muhammad Amin, a 74-year-old resident, lamented the destruction of his river and lamented the decline in his livestock due to the mining operations. Despite being paid half the $20,000 agreement for leasing his land, Amin failed to see the promised restoration of his fields.

The Taliban authorities have taken advantage of the gold rush, expanding the mining sector since their return to power five years ago. Abdul Mateen Rahimzai, head of Badakhshan's mines department, has registered nearly 650 to 700 companies, with thousands of people employed in manual labor.

While mining has temporarily halted in Amin's village, neighboring Gulak-Dara valley is abuzz with activity. Workers from across the country, including Kabul, have flocked to the area to earn a living. Mohammad Agha Khwaja Khail, a 21-year-old from Kabul, earns 10,000 Afghanis ($150) per month loading trucks in the mining industry.

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has attempted to regulate the industry, ensuring resources are extracted under supervision. However, gold mining has surged in the north, including in neighboring Takhar province, where an Afghan company operates with Chinese partners.

Mining firms are taxed 20 grams of gold per hectare per month or the equivalent in cash, regardless of their profits. Despite extracting 200 to 300 grams of gold per week, Mohammadullah Mubariz, a mining company manager, claims the firm is operating at a loss due to start-up costs.

The government collected 112 kilograms of gold in Badakhshan last year, with miners selling it at around $118 per gram. However, many mines remained unregistered, and there was no system to collect fees from them. Rahimzai, the provincial mines department head, has ordered the closure of around 225 sites that caused damage, including in the Shiwa area, which has been "reduced to ruins."

Despite the destruction, some parts of the province remain untouched, such as a valley where herder Fazil hoped the miners would stay away. The gold industry doesn't benefit the local communities, as it primarily serves the powerful people.