Despite a lengthy history of small-scale mining of
gems, gold, copper, and coal, systematic exploration of Afghanistan's
mineral resources did not begin until the 1960s. In the 1970s Afghanistan
was discovered to have a wide variety of mineral resources, but only coal,
iron ore.
copper ore, and gemstones were targeted for development. Natural
gas fields are scattered throughout much of Afghanistan. Recent analysis
by the United States Geological Survey has indicated significant
unexploited oil reserves in the north as well. After their invasion of
Afghanistan in 1979, the Soviets endeavored to export some of the
country's resources to the USSR. Natural gas, for example, was exported by
pipeline across the Amu Darya into the USSR in the 1980s. Ongoing
hostilities, however, severely hampered this effort and finally cut off
the natural gas export. By the mid-1990s there was little mineral or oil
and gas extraction.
