Key Points
- Nova Minerals delegation meets the Board of Investment minister, expressing interest in antimony, gold and rare earth elements.
- Officials link the engagement to Pakistan’s broader push for value-added mineral processing.
- Visit coincides with expanding Pakistan-US cooperation on critical minerals and strategic energy supply chains.
- Analysts say sustained US investment could anchor long-term industrial and technological collaboration.
ISLAMABAD: A US-based mineral exploration company opened a new chapter in bilateral commercial engagement as a Nova Minerals delegation conveyed the firm’s intent to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s evolving mineral economy.
The promising message came during the delegation’s meeting with the Federal Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh in Islamabad. Officials familiar with the meeting said the visiting team discussed prospects in antimony, gold and rare earth elements, adding that the company expressed interest in technical collaboration, feasibility partnerships and possible joint ventures with domestic entities. The delegation noted that Pakistan’s policy reforms and geological diversity make it a competitive destination for long-term, technology-driven projects.
Minister Sheikh assured full facilitation and underscored the government’s emphasis on steering the mining sector toward local processing and greater value addition. He said current reforms aim to attract reputable foreign players, improve operational transparency and create a more stable environment for capital-intensive industrial investments.
The visit aligns with signals from the US administration this year that Washington sees strategic value in diversifying sources of critical minerals. President Trump publicly flagged US interest in energy and resource partnerships with Pakistan in mid‑2025. Pakistan’s Foreign Office had also issued a statement in this regard. Nova is not the first company to visit here since the Pakistan-US deal on tariff concession for minerals. Earlier, US Strategic Metals (USSM) had visited and signed a MoU with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) covering antimony, copper, gold, tungsten and rare-earth elements. Likewise, Mota-Engil signed a parallel MoU with the National Logistics Corporation on infrastructure and logistics to support mineral development. These initial engagements laid the groundwork for feasibility studies, joint ventures, and investment facilitation in the country’s mineral sector.
Policymakers see the outreach as part of a larger shift in energy and supply chain cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. Analysts point out that Washington’s interest in diversifying its sources of critical minerals aligns with Pakistan’s goals to modernise its extraction methods, enhance regulatory frameworks, and develop refinery-level capabilities. They argue that sustained engagement with technologically advanced firms can help Pakistan build industrial depth and transition from commodity-based exports.
Officials maintain that early interactions with global companies such as Nova Minerals support the government’s long-term aim of integrating Pakistan into a high-value global minerals and energy-technology economy.
