The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum sold 20,000 tons of zinc extracted from the Yakawlang mines in Bamyan, worth nearly 8 million dollars, to a domestic company.

Shahabuddin Delawar, the acting head of this ministry, stated that this tender was held among 31 bidding companies, with one company winning by offering the highest bid.

The acting head of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said: "This will strengthen the Islamic system, lead to self-sufficiency, and contribute to the development of Afghanistan."

The head of the winning company said that they will first transfer this zinc to Iran and after processing, it will be sold to European countries.

Sheikh Ahmad, the head of the winning company, said: "We are currently transferring it to Iran, where it will be semi-processed, then sent to Turkey, and from there to European countries."

However, Homayoun Afghan, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, added that contracts for the exploration and extraction of lead and zinc mines have currently been awarded to domestic companies in the provinces of Herat, Kandahar, and Bamyan.

Afghan said: "The mines that have currently been contracted are in the provinces of Ghor, Bamyan, and Kandahar. We have signed contracts for four large mines in Ghor with domestic companies, and their processing will be done 100% in Afghanistan."

Some experts always emphasize the establishment of mineral processing plants and add that due to the lack of such plants in the country, minerals are exported at much lower values than the global market rates.