KABUL, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced on Wednesday it had signed a substantial contract with a private enterprise to develop and exploit the fourth block of a significant salt deposit in western Herat province.
The 15-year agreement encompasses 9.58 square kilometers in Ghoryan district and is supported by an investment commitment of 5.49 million U.S. dollars, according to the ministry statement.
The deal stipulates a royalty payment of 1,500 afghanis per metric ton of extracted salt. In addition, the contracting company has committed 350,000 U.S. dollars toward community development and social welfare initiatives in the surrounding regions, the statement added.
The ministry also signed a contract for the second block of the same deposit in early June, valued at 20.04 million dollars.
Afghanistan has reportedly attained self-sufficiency in salt production and processing, a noteworthy milestone in the country's drive to bolster its extractive industries and diminish dependence on imported commodities. ■
