Mining & Minerals

District Lasbela has been generously endowed with mineral wealth. Minerals found are shale, marble, limestone, serpentine, barite, basalt, quartzite, magnesium, building stone and red ocher. The district has much potential in the mineral sector, but due to the lack of exploration, and transportation facilities it is still underdeveloped.

Mines and Production, Processing & Marketing

Mining is done in traditional ways. Mostly, labourers collect the minerals with the help of a trolley, pickaxe and hoe, and use a generator for pulling and loading. Very few mine owners use the latest technology. The produce is transported to Karachi where it is processed in the markets.
During the last five years overall production of minerals have increased, but the production of basalt, quartzite, red ocher and building stone has been totally stopped because it is too uneconomical; the cost of production and transportation is higher than the price. About 4,869 people were employed in this sector in 1992, which increased to 5,783 in 1994.
The production of marble has increased from 6,314 tons in 1990-91 to 43,903 tons in 1994-95. Although the production of the minerals shale and limestone has increased, they get a very low price in the market, as they are found everywhere.
Factories

The factory owners directly purchase the minerals from the mine owners. Prices are settled by bargaining.

Department of Industries, Commerce and Mineral Resources

The Directorate of Mineral Development of the above mentioned Department is headed by a Director and a Joint Director. At the district level they have their offices only in two districts, namely Lasbela and Loralai, with posts of a Deputy Director, an Assistant Director and support staff.
Most of the minerals are exported in raw form. No value added processing is done at the provincial level and therefore the employment and income generation is limited in this sector. Due to lack of a proper market, mine owners often do not get a fair price. Tribal and political interference are a major issue.
The administrative process in mining is as follows. In the initial stage, the Department issues prospecting licenses for one year, extendible up to three years, charging Rs. 4 per acre. After converting the prospecting into a mining lease, Rs.2 per acre is charged per annum. At the time of application Rs.100 is charged. Royalties are Rs.20 per ton for sulphur, Rs. 25 per ton for granite and Rs. 110 per ton for marble.