To go with 'Afghanistan-Mining', INVESTIGATION by Claire Gounon
This photograph taken on January 27, 2025 shows an Afghan worker piercing a Lapis lazuli stone used in jewelleries, at a workshop in Kabul. Touting a return of security, Afghanistan's Taliban government is courting local and foreign investors to exploit the country's vast mineral wealth to secure a crucial revenue stream -- though experts warn of the risks of cutting corners. Emeralds, rubies, marble, gold and lithium: Afghanistan's rocky landscape contains underground resources estimated to be worth a trillion dollars, according to US and UN assessments from 2010 and 2013. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP) / To go with 'Afghanistan-Mining', INVESTIGATION by Claire Gounon