How China may benefit from Afghanistan’s estimated $3 trillion mineral reserves following the Taliban takeover

The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban has led to grave concerns about the safety of Afghan citizens and foreigners alike, but also raised questions about the future of the nation’s vast mineral reserves, once valued at as much as $3 trillion.

The chaos may offer China, which dominates the world market for rare earths, widely used in technology, to step in to develop the mineral reserves, which also include lithium, used in the manufacture of batteries.

“Chinese dealmakers have their bags packed, and will arrive on the first flights after the airports open,” said Byron King, geologist and mining and energy writer for Agora Financial.

“People who understand exploration have long looked at Afghanistan with desire,” he told MarketWatch, adding that Afghanistan has routinely sent representatives to international mining conferences in the past 20 years to “give talks about the mineral endowment.”