US Seeks Pakistan's Copper, But US-Made Guns Fueling Border Conflict

• The US is interested in Pakistan's vast copper and rare earth mineral reserves, particularly in Balochistan, to secure alternative supply chains and reduce dependence on China.
• Pakistan possesses trillions of dollars' worth of untapped mineral wealth, with sites like Muhammad Khel already extracting tens of thousands of tons of copper.
• Much of Pakistan's mineral wealth is located in volatile border regions, including Balochistan, which have seen intensified militant violence since the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
• Pakistani authorities report that US-made weapons, abandoned in Afghanistan, are now being used by insurgents against their troops, complicating security for mining projects.
• The security challenges raise questions about the feasibility of large-scale mining without escalating militarization, despite Pakistan's military assurances of protection.