Mineral investments vs human capital

Minerals are the invisible engines of modern civilisation — the raw materials behind the technologies that define our daily lives and shape global power structures. From copper and lithium to cobalt and rare earth elements, these critical minerals underpin the world’s transition toward clean energy, digitalisation, and advanced manufacturing. However, access to these resources is neither easy nor equitable. The global race for critical minerals is intensifying, with supply chains vulnerable to disruption and geopolitical competition. China’s recent export restrictions on rare earths revealed how mineral dominance can be leveraged as a strategic instrument, affecting industries worldwide. Pakistan, particularly the province of Balochistan, sits atop vast yet largely untapped mineral deposits. Geological studies estimate the country’s total mineral wealth at nearly $6 trillion, encompassing copper, lithium, cobalt, nickel, chromite, zircon, and beryllium. The Reko Diq and Saindak projects hold some of the world’s largest copper-gold reserves, with about 5.9 billion tonnes of ore.