Pakistan minerals forum ends with copper discoveries and $100m investment

Pakistan announced major copper and gold discoveries, a $100 million investment and 13 agreements at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, which concluded in Islamabad on Friday. The government used the event to push domestic processing and manufacturing instead of raw mineral exports.

Which part of Pakistan is rich in minerals?

Chagai district in southwestern Balochistan was the focus of the forum's biggest discovery announcements. The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) reported an estimated 350 million tons of copper in the Dasht-e-Kain area, while Mari Minerals announced its first gold and copper discovery in the district.

The FWO estimate is based on about half of the drilling data analyzed so far. Mari Minerals put the potential resource at around 1 billion tons of copper and gold.

National Resources Limited (NRL), meanwhile, announced a $100 million investment in Pakistan's minerals sector.

How big was the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026?

The two-day forum (PMIF26) brought together more than 10,000 participants from over 60 countries. It featured 122 exhibitors showcasing opportunities in the country's mining and minerals sector.

Senior executives from international mining companies, including Barrick Mining, Ivanhoe Mines and Minmetals, joined strategic discussions on policy certainty, investment and regional cooperation. Sessions also covered artificial intelligence in mineral exploration, infrastructure security and environmental standards, alongside an international exhibition.

Participants signed 13 major agreements and memorandums of understanding, reflecting international interest in the country's mining industry. The forum concluded with an invitation to investors and industry representatives to attend the next edition, scheduled for November 2027.

What did Shehbaz Sharif tell investors at the forum?

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the concluding session, invited international investors to explore Pakistan's mineral potential and pledged government support and protection for their investments. “Your safety is our safety,” he told them, promising to address their concerns and facilitate investment.

He stressed that Pakistan must move beyond exporting raw minerals and build domestic processing, refining and manufacturing facilities. These, he said, would generate greater economic value, create jobs, develop technical expertise and encourage technology transfers.

Sharif was accompanied by Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The prime minister said Pakistan had the potential to become a major global economic power. Referring to a Goldman Sachs projection that Pakistan could become the world's sixth-largest economy by 2075, he expressed confidence that the country could reach that milestone before 2050.

What are the National Minerals Data Centre and GSP GeoPortal?

Sharif and Field Marshal Munir inaugurated the National Minerals Data Centre and the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) GeoPortal at the forum. Both are digital platforms for geological information.

They are designed to give investors better access to geological data, support mineral exploration, reduce investment uncertainty and help companies make informed decisions.

What did Asim Munir and ministers say about value addition?

Addressing the forum, Asim Munir said Pakistan's ambition extended beyond exporting raw minerals to developing a complete domestic value chain that included refining and manufacturing. He described converting the country's mineral wealth into tangible economic gains as a collective national objective and said communities in mineral-rich areas must directly benefit from mining projects.

Calling for long-term partnerships, the army chief urged Pakistan to move “from potential to production, from promises to action, and from raw exports to value-added growth.”

Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik highlighted Pakistan's focus on critical minerals, including copper, gold, lithium and antimony. He stressed the need for domestic refining, advanced geological mapping and infrastructure development, and outlined plans to improve links between mineral-rich regions and international markets, including upgrades such as the Rohri-Nokundi railway.

Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) President Ahmed Hayat Lak said the forum had helped establish international partnerships and launch important digital data platforms. He said effective execution, technical expertise and transparent policies would be essential to turning Pakistan's mineral wealth into sustainable economic growth.