KARACHI: Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will inaugurate first modern quarry of the country in Khuzdar this month.
Khuzdar quarry has been developed with the joint collaboration of PASDEC and an Italian firm with the cost of Rs 100 million. almost 85 percent of marble in Pakistan is wasted due to conventional blasting and lack of proper facilities.These losses could be reduced with the use of modern technology as Pakistan has one of the world’s largest reserves of marble and granite, which India and China lack.
There is export potential of about $1 billion, adding that president Italy Marble Association, Cesare Bellamoli appreciated the quality of Pakistan marble and expressed his desire to work with Pakistani enterpreuners to fully develop Pakistan marble sector.
Mr Khan said the profits from model quarries would be utilised for the development of another model quarry.
Mining and quarry contributes nearly 0.5 percent to Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with an estimated value addition of Rs 16 billion. The marble and granite are among the major minerals extracted in Pakistan after coal, rock salt, limestone and China Clay.
United State and European nations are willing to buy marble in shape of cubes and square, and through this modern quarry, Pakistan could meet their demand.
Chairman PASDEC, Ihsan Ullah Khan said the company planned to increase exports of marble products up to $500 million in next three years. It would have trickledown effect on the masses of the undeveloped areas of the country. plans to set up four marble cities in collaboration with the National Industrial Parks Development and Management Company (NIPS)., the government has approved in principle the project relating to the establishment of 10 model quarries, two machinery pools and four common facility training centres.
Total cost of the project is Rs1.98 billion and Ministry of Industry, Production and Special Initiatives is the sponsoring agency.
Main objectives of the project is to remove the primitive, deficient and wasteful mining practices, poor processing technology, inconsistency of quality of products, lack of progressive marketing strategy and improvement in the existing infrastructure facilities.
Ihsan informed as per decision taken, about 20 potential mines would be up-graded in the four major marble, granite and onyx clusters by PASDEC by providing appropriate mining machinery and equipments.
PASDEC would also establish 3 model quarries and rock mining training institutes in Baluchistan on the most potential sites.
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