The U.S. isn’t leaving Afghanistan anytime soon

This time, though, USGS is working with the Afghan government to not only help with surveying the mining fields, but also to find ways to sell mining products on the international market. In other words, the U.S. will have a front-seat view as the Afghan government plans the development of its extractive sector. (The Afghan government also works closely with the Russian and Chinese governments on mining.)

The agency could not be reached for comment about this story. But a post on the USAID Facebook page acknowledged the signing of the letter of intent and said the U.S. Geological Survey would also train ministry staffers.

The partnership comes at a time when the demand for Aghanistan’s rare minerals is soaring, especially from regions like the central province of Ghazni. There, underneath the cracked earth and in between the crevices of Karkush—a mountain in the infamous Hindu Kush range—lies what international studies say could be the world’s largest reserve of the mineral lithium.