A copper-mining project in Afghanistan finally got off the ground last month after a delay of over 16 years, but critics worry that a lack of independent supervision could lead to widespread pollution and the destruction of historical ruins and relics uncovered at the Mes Aynak site.

Three years after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, the government still isn’t widely recognized and the economy has tanked. World Bank figures show a 26% contraction in the real economy in the two years to April 2024. As such, the Taliban views the Mes Aynak project, contracted to state-owned China Metallurgical Group Corp. (MCC) since 2007, as a crucial lifeline both financially and diplomatically.

The Taliban promotes the site as containing the world’s second and Afghanistan’s largest untapped copper deposit, with an estimated 4.4 billion tons of copper ore. The government estimates that the site could yield 2.5 million tons of copper per year that would bring in revenue of $300 million to $400 million.

But Mes Aynak is rich in other ways. Located about 30 kilometers south of Kabul in Logar province, Mes Aynak lies along the ancient Silk Road and is the site of a Buddhist complex comprising over 20 ruins, including temples and over 1,000 statues. Afghanistan’s Mines and Petroleum Ministry says that signs of even more ancient Bronze Age settlements have been found beneath the copper deposits.

Until now, the Mes Aynak ruins had not been disturbed by any development, in large part due to security reasons and contractual issues between the parties. Abdul Qadeer Mutfi, a former spokesman of the Mines and Petroleum Ministry, told Nikkei Asia that the Chinese side reneged on some elements of the contract in the past that led to the delay in works.

“At that time, the Chinese company was not honoring the commitments outlined in the contract,” Mutfi said. “For example, they refused to construct the agreed-upon railway line from Bamiyan (in Afghanistan) to Khyber Pass (in Pakistan).”

MCC could not be reached for comment. The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum did not respond to a request for comment.

To get a copper mine up and running, the barren site would need infrastructure and power generation means as first steps. In late July, both sides broke ground on the site to begin the construction of a road, reigniting fears that development without proper management could have disastrous consequences for Afghanistan.

Experts say that copper mining can cause severe pollution and requires large amounts of water, already scarce in this arid region.

“Processing just one ton of copper generates 200 tons of waste, which can severely pollute the earth, water and air,” said Najibullah Sadid, an Afghan water resources and environmental expert in Germany.

Calling on the Chinese company to adhere to international standards of waste treatment, Sadid said: “The residents rely on groundwater, and if this waste is not properly treated, it could contaminate the water supply, eventually reaching the Logar River and affecting half of Kabul’s population.”

Historians and archaeologists over the years had also called for the site to be protected, and activists even made an award-winning film about the importance of Mes Aynak. Now, some fear that the Taliban government’s lack of technical expertise could open the area to rampant exploitation.

The Chinese Embassy in Kabul issued a statement on July 25, promising to protect the cultural relics.

“The Chinese side is willing to work with Afghan side to smoothly promote the exploitation of Afghan mineral resources while ensuring effective protection of cultural relics, so as to make this project a model of investment cooperation between China and Afghanistan,” it said in the statement.

Nonetheless, the lack of independent monitoring is concerning.

“There is no third party overseeing these excavations, which is a significant concern. Under the previous government, activists, political parties, and even ordinary citizens played a role in monitoring these activities,” said Mutfi, the former mines ministry spokesman. “Now, there is no such oversight in place.”

Some locals, however, are focusing on the positives. Sabaoon Ahmadi, a resident of the province, is eagerly awaiting the benefits of the project. “Our entire village, along with Afghans from across the country, is optimistic about this project. We believe it has the potential to significantly boost our economy,” he said.