The Taliban are sitting on $1 trillion worth of minerals the world desperately needs

        August 19, 2021 CNN Business | Afghanistan | renewables: batteries

In 2010, U.S. geologists reported that Afghan mineral deposits valued about $1 trillion, including precious metals (copper, iron, gold) as well as rare earths and lithium. The IEA has stated that 3 countries (China, Congo, and Australia) account for 3/4ths of lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, while Afghan lithium could match Bolivia, the largest known source.