ISLAMABAD – The growth rate of mining sector of the country has been set at 3 per cent during the current fiscal year (2012-13), according to official sources.

Focus of the mineral policy is on oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, and chromites to reduce import dependence, official documents revealed adding Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) allocation of Rs.268 million has been made for mining this year.
During the year 2012-13 an area of about 3,900 sq.km is planned to be mapped in different parts of the country whereas about 300 samples will be collected and analyzed under geochemical surveying.
Efforts will be concentrated on exploration and evaluation of coalfields in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. These studies aim at enhancing coal resource base and supplementing power generation and substituting furnace oil in different industrial units in the country.
According to the document, copper, lead-zinc sulphide and iron ore occurrences in Chagai and Lasbela-Khuzdar Districts in Balochistan will be further explored. A total of 2 bore holes are tentatively planned to be drilled for a cumulative depth of 500 meters under different development projects.
The ongoing projects namely including Up gradation/strengthening of Geosciences Advance Research laboratories, Accelerated Geological mapping and Geo chemical exploration of the out crop areas as well as the project review/updation of Mineral Policy will continue in the year 2012-13. A new project titled Petroleum House has been allocated at an amount of Rs 200.0 million, the documents revealed.
During the current year, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources will also execute some projects which include Promotion and Capacity Building of Mineral Sector of Pakistan (Rs 100 million), Integrated Minerals GIS and National Cadastre Data Center (Rs 40 million), Development of Infrastructure in mining areas of Pakistan (Rs 1,400 million) and Establishment of Directorate for the Mineral Development of ICT (Rs 200 million).