A consortium of four Indian companies has been shortlisted to invest in new gold and copper deposits in Afghanistan.
The conglomerate includes SAIL, NALCO, Hindustan Copper and Mineral Exploration Corporation in Afghanistan. These companies are among the 25 chosen from 41 firms from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, UAE, Turkey and Afghanistan. The shortlisted companies will be issued requests for proposal (RFPs) before they head to Afghanistan in May 2012 to carry out due diligence of the gold and copper deposits at Zarkashan in Ghazn, at Badakhshan, and at Herat and Balkhab in Shaida districts. Expressions of interest for individual or all four blocks are expected by July 2012.