Hajigak Iron  Deposite

Map of permissive tract sedfe01—Haji Gak Neoproterozoic for undiscovered sedimentary ‎rock-hosted iron deposits, showing distribution of Neoproterozoic rocks that host the Haji ‎Gak iron deposit Hajigak deposit The best known iron-oxide deposit in Afghanistan is located about 100 km west of Kabul ‎in Bamyan Province, although mineralisation of this style has been identified ‎discontinuously in an east-west belt over 600 km from Herat to the Panjsher River. The ‎iron-bearing formations are in a sequence of sedimentary and volcanic rocks of Proterozoic age.‎ The deposit extends over 32 km and contains 16 separate zones, up to 5 km in length, 380 ‎m wide and extending 550 m down dip, seven of which have been studied in detail. The ‎ore occurs in both primary and oxidised states.  Mining Opportunities in Afghanistan,Hajigak Iron Deposit and Aynak Copper The primary ore (80% of the deposit) ‎occurs below 100-130 m and comprises magnetite and ‎pyrite, with minor other sulphides ‎including chalcopyrite, and averages 61.3% Fe, 5% sulphide ‎and 0.05% P. The remaining ‎‎20% is oxidised and consists of three hematitic ore types at ‎‎62.8% Fe. The mineralisation ‎is believed to be partly structurally controlled and related to ‎Oligocene magmatism. ‎Russian estimates for the entire deposit are 1 700 Mt, although ‎estimates for the near ‎surface oxide ore in the most explored area are 85 Mt (Category A-C2). ‎A feasibility ‎study on the deposit was undertaken in 1972 by a Franco-German group and ‎included the ‎construction of a blast furnace.‎

Details of Hajigak iron deposit is available online (PDF — 5,181 KB, 76 pages    ); refrence ''Preliminary Non-Fuel ‎Mineral Resource Assessment of Afghanistan'' USGS Open-File report 2007-‎‎1214‎ .