[Marine_Uncle]

I am aware of the Chinese eye on Afghanistan. We had read articles back in 2007 range as to the potentials in A, and how various countries would like to get at their mineral resources.
I'm not against US firms going in and extracting minerals if it could be a win scenario. Just wonder how many years it would take. We yet to see a dime flowing into US coffers from Iraq. The Chinese are also in Iraq trying to make deals to get at their oil.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BBC chimes in:

Afghans say US team found huge potential mineral wealth

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The BBC's Jill McGivering says that at a time of growing despair about Afghanistan and its government, the portrayal of the country as a potential goldmine could help to bolster international resolve and paint the country as a prize worth fighting for.

Lithium is an increasingly vital resource, used in batteries for everything from mobile phones to laptops and key to the future of the electric car. Bolivia boasts the largest reserves.

Afghanistan's also has significant reserves of niobium, a key ingredient in hardened steel. 'Trillion-dollar resources'

Ministry of mines spokesman Jawad Omar said he could not confirm the exact value of Afghanistan's mineral wealth but had no doubt it would have a very big impact on the country's development.

If exploited, Afghanistan would become self-sufficient, he said, and no longer need foreign aid.

President Hamid Karzai's spokesman, Waheed Omar, was quoted by news agency AP as saying: "The result of the survey ... has shown that Afghanistan has mineral resources worth $1 trillion.