$3 trillion and counting- global players eyeing Afghanistan’s vast mineral reserves

Afghanistan, now under the control of the Taliban, is sitting on what could be the world's largest lithium reserves, among other precious minerals.

From the most sought-after lithium and rare earth material to significant reserves of copper, gold, and gemstones- Afghanistan is estimated to be sitting on mineral reserves worth trillions of dollars. A 2010 US study had revealed that Afghanistan could have among the world’s largest deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials and the American geologists had estimated $1 trillion worth of untapped mineral reserves then, according to credible reports. Recent estimates suggest the worth of untapped minerals could be as high as $3 trillion.