Automatically translated from Basque, translation may contain errors. More information here. Elhuyarren itzultzaile automatikoaren logoa

Its underground lithium can influence as much as the barbarism of the Taliban in setting the international strategy

  • Twenty years later, the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan. When it comes to deciding the position of international states towards this new government, the Taliban’s mindsets and savage policies will influence. The person who is buried shall be re-discharged. Afghanistan is a mineral rich in minerals and metals, including lithium, an essential mineral for channelling ecological transition. You know that very well and the calculations are on the way accordingly. Which ones? China.

The Saudi Arabia of Lithium can become Afghanistan” could be read in an internal document of the United States Defense Ministry of 2010, which was published in its day by the media The New York Times. American geologists discovered that the lands of Afghanistan were very rich in lithium, to the point where, according to their official estimates, they amounted to $1,000 trillion. It has also been heard in recent days that it is one of the most important reserves in the world, such as Australia, Chile or Argentina. It is a mineral known as “white gold”, of little interest until two decades ago, but whose importance has changed radically since the year 2000. Demand has increased and is increasing day by day, increasing global production every year by 20%, which in 2017 was exploited 43,000 tons when in 2010 it was 28,100 tons. The reason: it is an essential element for new technologies. It's the mineral we cause in mobiles, computers, wind farms and solar energy storage areas, as well as in electric cars.

In this sense, it is the gold necessary to satisfy our appetite for consumption and, in addition, in the fight against the climate emergency, it will be essential to carry out the changes presented as a “transition”. Let us suppose that, in the framework of the Green Deal or the Green Pact, the European Commission has a decision to ban in 2035 the sale of cars circulating for petrol or diesel. In fourteen years' time all new cars registered in Europe will have to be electric. “Decarbonisation has become a priority in responding to international climate goals and since 2010 investments in renewables have accelerated (about $3,800 billion). In 2020, more than $500 billion was earmarked for investments in low-carbon technologies (hydrogen, CO2 capture and storage, electrified vehicles...), that is, more than in the hydrocarbon collection and exploitation sector”, can be read Métaux et terres: vers une pénurie source de tensions géopolites (Sources of precarious metals and geopolitical lands). For the European Union, the need for lithium will be multiplied by 60 by 2035.

That is to say, lithium is going to be what oil had to be: the resource necessary to advance in ourselves and in itself; the one that derives the exploitation of ecological and social damage; the one that is in limited quantities and, of course, the one that produces geopolitical effects – there is no doubt that this mineral will influence the decisions that the international states will take with regard to Afghanistan.

In addition, Afghanistan is the place where uranium, aluminium, gold, copper, cromite, platinum and silver, other minerals and various metals, with a wealth of almost EUR 2,500 billion, between 1.1 and 1.4 million tonnes. “They are essential components for modern technology. On mobiles, televisions, hybrid motors, computers, lasers and batteries are all in place”, as can be seen in the report Afghanistan’s mineral resources are a lost opportunity and a threat (Lost stop and risk are Afghanistan’s mineral resources) by The Diplomat.

China: the transition to geopolitical decisions

The United States and the United Kingdom have spent 20 bloody years of the invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan and the recognition that the international states and institutions are going to give to the government of the Taliban remains to be seen. Since 15 August, when China has already fled its president, AshάGhani, it has brought out the light for relations with the Taliban. It is precisely because it follows the strategy of tackling the climate crisis by directing its geopolitical decisions – and, of course, by looking at the wealth that this will entail economically.

Of course, symbolically and politically it has a lot to do with China's consolidation of Afghanistan, a symbol of the failure of the United States. Of course, they are neighborhoods, they have a 76-kilometer border between them, and Beijing wants to maintain good relations with the Taliban, so as not to develop relations with the Yugur community, Muslims in the Xinjiang region who suffer immense persecution, discrimination and controls on the part of Beijing, which today are more than a million detained and isolated grandchildren in “political re-education camps”. But he is well aware that the minerals deposited in the lands of Afghanistan are going to be essential in the near and middle future.

The technology and transition market is dominated by China, to the extent that Europeans become fully dependent in Beijing – according to the European Commission, 98% of EU imports of rare earth come from China –. The control and/or ownership of the mineral areas are essential to ensure this superiority. China has calculated: It says that by 2049 it will become the world's first force, and among other things, the basis of wealth is the content of these new energy sources.

To achieve this, Xi Jinping presented in 2013 a gigantic Belt and Road or Belt and Road project, known as the New Silk Road, which connects China with East Africa and the Mediterranean, demanding the Middle East and Central Traviesa. It has agreements with 125 States and has over 3,000 projects focusing mainly on infrastructure (motorways, ports, railways and gas stations). Among others, with the aim of channelling energy and minerals. It also signed the first protocol with Afghanistan in 2016, with the inclusion of several conventions and the guaranteed security status, it may be thought that it will continue with the Taliban on the same road.

However, the development of mineral exploitation would have dramatic ecological and social consequences for Afghans already in a critical situation. Also on this occasion in the name of the interests of the Westerners, to continue in our frenzied green painted consumption. Raw materials journalist Guillaume Pitron explains: “We, the Western countries, are not obliged to assume the ‘mining load’, and we leave production to other countries, because a mine is always dirty, because the extraction and refining of the mineral is an unsustainable environmental cost. We want a greener world, but we don’t want green pollution.”


You are interested in the channel: Nazioartea
Hungary shows its support for Netanyahu and ceases to be a member of the International Criminal Court
The decision was announced by Hungarian Prime Minister Gergely Gulyas on the same day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose arrest warrant has been issued by the Hague Court, arrived in the country.Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, has said the Israeli... [+]

Trump will impose tariffs of between 10% and 50% on countries around the world: “We Will Make America Rich Again”
A global tariff of 10% for the whole world will be imposed by the Donald Trump administration, which will further tax imports from several countries, including China (34%) and the EU (20%). But the countries of the Global South will be the most affected: Lesotho (50 per cent),... [+]

2025-04-03 | El Salto
Prosecutor Demands Death Penalty for Luigi Mangione for Murder of Health Insurance Company Chief
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has told the media that he will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione for shooting and killing Brian Thompson, CEO of private insurance company UnitedHealthcare. Bondi says the attack was an “act of political violence” and a... [+]

2025-04-03 | Gedar
Israel Premier Tech expels Zionist team from a cycling race in Estella
On the initiative of the platform Solidarity with Palestine, some 70 people linked to cycling have asked for the Zionist team not to participate in the tournament, and they have succeeded.

Gizonak frontera, emakumeak zubira

Londres, 1944. Dorothy izeneko emakume bati argazkiak atera zizkioten Waterloo zubian soldatze lanak egiten ari zela. Dorothyri buruz izena beste daturik ez daukagu, baina duela hamar urte arte hori ere ez genekien. Argazki sorta 2015ean topatu zuen Christine Wall... [+]


“Neutrotzat aurkezten dena, egiaz, ideologia nagusiaren konplizea da”

Gozamen aparta bezain deskribatzeko zaila dakar, norbaiten hitzak irakurri edo entzun ostean, zera pentsatzeak: “Horixe zen neu aurreko hartan azaltzen saiatu nintzena!”. Idazlea eta itzultzailea da María Reimóndez, eta galegoz aritzen da, hizkuntza... [+]


Teknologia
Burokraziaz

Wikipedian bilatu dut hitza, eta honela ulertu dut irakurritakoa: errealitatea arrazionalizatzeko metodologia da burokrazia, errealitatea ulergarriago egingo duten kontzeptuetara murrizteko bidean. Errealitatea bera ulertzeko eta kontrolatzeko helburua du, beraz.

Munduko... [+]


2025-04-02 | Ula Iruretagoiena
Territory and architecture
Military urbanism

Egypt ' s urban planning plan for the Gaza Strip has recently been expanded. A drawing shows the streets, buildings and imagery of the future on a reality that still smells of shrapnel and explosives. The urban planning proposal, used as another bomb shot. Individual house... [+]


2025-04-02 | Nicolas Goñi
The drought in Angola threatens 2.3 million people, but who cares?
The most neglected humanitarian crisis in the world is the one that has persisted in southwestern Angola since 2019. As a result of a prolonged drought fuelled by climate change, millions of people live in poor or inadequate food and are forced to make great efforts to find... [+]

2025-04-02 | June Fernández
Meloi saltzailea
Zedarriak

Bizitza erdigunean jartzeko abagunea ikusi genuen feministok zein ekologistok Covid-19 pandemia garaian. Ez ginen inozoak, bagenekien boteretsuak eta herritar asko gustura itzuliko zirela betiko normaltasunera. Bereziki, konfinamendu samurra pasa zutenak haien txaletetan edo... [+]


A Spanish police officer infiltrated the political and social movements of Lleida for two years
The police infiltration has been investigated and published by the Directa media. In September 2019 he approached the Ateneu Cooperatiu de Lleida for the first time, under the name of Joan Llobet García, and left his militancy in November 2021, arguing that he had found a job... [+]

2025-04-01 | Mikel Aramendi
THE ANALYSIS
Myanmar: Could the earthquake bring an end to the war?
In anticipation of the human and economic gloom of the tragedy, the question immediately comes to mind to those of us who have not been able to do much more than remote monitors: what will happen now in this civil war? What impact will the earthquake have? Can you expect a... [+]

Marine Le Pen disqualified for five years for diversion of European Parliament funds
According to the Paris Correctional Court, 2.9 million euros were diverted by the French National Union RN between 2004 and 2016. In addition to Le Pen, 24 other party members have also been found guilty. Even with the appeal, the leader of the RN will not be able to run for the... [+]

BDS demands CAF to cut ties with Israel during Sunday’s demonstrations
Demonstrations have taken place in the four capitals of the South Basque Country. The Government of Navarre and the Basque Government have been asked to stop providing public support to companies collaborating with the Israeli genocide in Palestine.

Eguneraketa berriak daude