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  • Presentation | U13D: Advancing Toward More Sustainable and Resilient Mineral Supplies: Bridging Earth, Data, and Social Sciences II Poster
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  • [ONLINE] U13D-VR8852: Pakistan’s Untapped Critical Minerals: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Race Against Time
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Author(s):
Mukhtiar Ghani, Geological Survey of Pakistan (First Author, Presenting Author)
Rahat Ullah, Geological Survey of Pakistan


Pakistan hosts significant potential for critical minerals such as rare earth elements (REEs), lithium, nickel, and cobalt, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Key mineralization is found in Miocene alkaline volcanics, carbonatite complexes, and pegmatites, with notable REE-bearing minerals including bastnaesite, monazite, and zircon. Geochemical analyses reveal elevated concentrations of both light and heavy REEs, as well as lithium enrichment in various geological settings. Despite this potential, Pakistan currently has no developed critical mineral mines and faces strong competition from established regional players like China. With global REE demand expected to peak by 2035 before declining due to recycling, rapid development and investment are urgently needed to realize Pakistan’s resource potential.



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