China’s Afghan Alchemy: Turning Copper Into Gold
January 2nd, 2010
Courtesy of The New York Times, an interesting look at China Metallurgical Group Corporation’s progress in developing its copper deposits in Afghanistan. As the article notes: “…Behind an electrified fence, blast-resistant sandbags and 53 National Police outposts, the Afghan surge is well under way. But the foot soldiers in a bowl-shaped valley about 20 miles […]
Read more »Digging For Hope In Afghanistan
August 7th, 2009
Courtesy of The New York Times, an interesting look at Afghanistan’s mining development and mineral potential. As the article notes: “…Afghanistan’s mining ministry, emboldened by its first copper tender and undeterred by escalating violence, is inviting more bids in hopes the industry can eventually drive economic growth and help bring security. …Yet it also has […]
Read more »Shift In Central Asia?
April 17th, 2009
Via Stratfor (subscription required), interesting analysis of the shifting dynamics in Central Asia as the global financial crisis and declining energy prices have shifted Central Asian regional leader Kazakhstan to an inward focus, and offered Uzbekistan an opportunity to reassert its historic role as regional leader. As the article notes: “…Central Asia had remained stagnant […]
Read more »Caspian Sea Energy Reserves and Geopolitical Intrigue
January 5th, 2009
Via Seeking Alpha, an interesting post which is centered on a review of a book entitled The New Great Game. However, I am noting it here as it provides a nice summary of issues related to the Caspian (with handy maps, no less). As the article notes “…The investigative journalist delves deeply into the geopolitical […]
Read more »China’s Growing Economic Influence in Central Asia
October 1st, 2008
From The Foreign Policy Association, a nice summary of China’s growing influence in the Central Asian states. As the article notes, recent projects include: “-A 960-kilometer oil pipeline from Western Kazakhstan to Western China has partially started operations and should be carrying 20 millions tons of the black gold annually in only a few years […]
Read more »China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan: A Strategic Trade & Energy Corridor
June 3rd, 2008
Via The Asia Times, a very interesting analysis of China’s strategic interest in capitalizing on the convenience that Afghanistan and Pakistan offer for the exploitation of energy resources of Central Asia and the Middle East, and its resulting prioritization of the stability of Afghanistan. As the article notes: “… Afghanistan’s geographic location has made it […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.