The Afghan Ministry of Mines announced on Tuesday that the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) will carry out the technical studies needed in advance of the construction of the Kabul-Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul-Torkham railways.

This technical phase will begin soon, the ministry said.

The line from Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif will pass through Parwan and Bamiyan provinces and connect with the Mazar-e-Sharif-Hairatan railway.

State-owned MCC also won the contract from the Ministry of Mines to extract copper from the Anyak mine in Logar province.

The company is "fully familiar with the Afghan climate and land and has previously built some roads," Ministry of Mines spokesman Jawad Omer said.

The budget needed to complete the project will be based on the findings of the technical studies.

The railway is expected to be functioning by 2014 and have a huge positive impact on the country's trade situation.