Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) plans to begin fieldwork soon to explore and potentially develop chromium deposits in Afghanistan, according to a Qazba.kz correspondent who recently visited Kabul with a Kazakh delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin.
ERG may acquire a deposit in Afghanistan or form a joint venture with local partners, the publication reported.
Talks on mineral cooperation expand beyond chromium
During meetings in Kabul with Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, officials also discussed the possibility of importing industrial aquamarine for processing in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan is among a small group of countries with expertise in processing industrial aquamarine, along with China and the U.S.
The potential shipments involve relatively small volumes of aquamarine (a variety of the mineral beryl) — measured in the thousands of tons by year-end, according to the report. Kazatomprom’s Ulba Metallurgical Plant specializes in processing beryllium and tantalum and has seen growing demand for beryllium raw materials in recent years. Kazatomprom has previously signaled interest in diversifying its raw material supply sources.
Planned zinc ore shipment and prior exploration work
During the Kazakh delegation’s visit, officials also announced plans to sign a memorandum covering the shipment of 30,000 tons of zinc ore from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan for processing. The contract is valued at $18.8 million.
In October 2025, specialists from Kazakhstan’s national mining company Tau-Ken Samruk visited Afghanistan’s Bamyan province, where they collected samples from the Pami-Kakrak zinc deposit. Subsequent chemical analysis conducted by Kazzinc confirmed the ore could be processed at facilities in Kazakhstan.
