Afghan Geological Survey (AGS)

Since ancient times Afghanistan has been famous as a source of precious and semi-precious stones and above all its lapis lazuli, which has been prized both for jewelry and as a pigment.  Some of the earliest indications of mining anywhere in the world come from Afghanistan, dating back over 6,000 years.  Despite its location astride historic trade routes and its importance as a source of gemstones, however, relatively little is known about the ancient mines and few formal written records exist. It was not until the 1800s that systematic attempts were made to assess the physiography and resources of the region, initially by British military expeditions, followed by surveys conducted under the auspices of the Geological Survey of India. From the 19th Century onwards, various geological expeditions investigated areas along the main caravan routes and later along the arterial motor roads.

A new epoch in the study of Afghanistan's geology and mineral resources began in July 1955 when the Government of Afghanistan inaugurated the National Geological Survey. This marked the initiation of systematic surveys of the geology and mineral resources of the country, which continued over the next 25 years until 1980.   Extensive mapping operations, followed by geological surveys and prospecting of mineral occurrences and more detailed evaluation of selected prospects characterized this period.
Geological investigations were severely curtailed with the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979, when the country effectively became closed to western geologists.  Like other government institutions, the Afghanistan Geological Survey was seriously weakened during more than two decades of military conflict, and suffered from a lack of investment and skills development.  Throughout this period of conflict and during the later rule by the Taliban, the staff of the AGS salvaged and protected documents, maps and samples, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families. After the Taliban left Kabul in December 2001 these precious data were returned to the Survey.
Following the fall of the Taliban regime, the Government of Afghanistan, with the assistance of international donors, began formulating a mining sector strategy and policies. Amongst many things, this recognized the need for the rehabilitation and restructuring of the Afghanistan Geological Survey to help it perform as a modern geological survey and implement a program of geological mapping and resource assessment using modern concepts and methods.

In response to this need, in 2004 the British Geological Survey and United States Geological Survey commenced collaborative projects with the Afghanistan Geological Survey and Ministry of Mines. These projects are funded by the Governments of Britain and the United States of America respectively.  Together they are implementing a comprehensive program of capacity-building, geological mapping, evaluation of mineral and hydrogeological resources, and the creation of geological and mineral databases and geographical information systems.  A mining cadastre office is also being established.  These programs are providing comprehensive training for Afghans.