As Islamabad prepares to host the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) on April 8–9, 2026, the event is being positioned as one of the most consequential global investment platforms for the minerals and energy sectors this year.
Building on the momentum from PMIF25 in April 2025, which drew over 5,000 delegates from more than 40 countries and resulted in 18 memoranda of understanding and agreements with international firms, PMIF26 is expected to be even larger in scale and ambition, promoting even deeper engagement between Pakistan and strategic investors worldwide.
Outcomes of PMIF2025: Agreements and MOUs
The following compilation is based on multiple credible post-event reports and government summaries.
Pakistan Minerals Security Partnership
MoU between Pakistan’s Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) and Barrick Gold for strategic cooperation and future mining partnership frameworks, anchored on the Reko Diq project.
Geological Cooperation — Lithium and Other Minerals, UK
MoU between the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) and International Geoscience Services Ltd (UK) for technical cooperation in geological mapping and exploration.
Geoscientific Research, Russia
MoU between GSP and JSC Rose Geo (Russia) focused on joint scientific research.
Geoscience Data Partnership, South Africa
MoU between GSP and Special Dimension (South Africa) to build capacity in geoscience data digitisation.
Lithium & Mineral Exploration, China
MoU between GSP and the Geological Survey of China to explore lithium and strategic minerals in northern Pakistan.
Mineral Park Development, China
MoU between Mari Minerals and MCC Tangshan Resources (China) to consider the establishment of a specialised mineral park.
Mineral Exploration, Global Core Minerals
MoU between Mari Minerals and Global Core Minerals for collaborative exploration efforts.
Mineral Exploration, Lydia Mining, Turkey
MoU between Mari Minerals and Lydia Mining on targeted field exploration.
Mineral Processing & Technology, Finland
MoU between PPL and Metso (Finland) for mineral processing collaboration.
Lead & Zinc Project, Khuzdar, Balochistan
Agreement between PPL and the Government of Balochistan for a lead and zinc mining project in Khuzdar District.
Exploration & Development Consortium
Multi-party partnership agreement involving FWO, Noor Mining, BMRL and Local Leaders for mineral exploration and development in Balochistan.
FWO – Azar Gold Development Agreement
Agreement between Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and Azar Gold to advance mineral sector projects.
OGDCL – National Resources Limited (NRL)
MoU between Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and NRL for mineral exploration and production activities.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Futhai Osean, China
MoU between KP Board of Investment & Trade and Futhai Osean Ltd (HK) to promote investment cooperation in KP’s mineral sector (Lounge MoU).
KP Board – Elba Group, Lahore
MoU between the KP Board of Investment & Trade and the Elba Group on mineral sector facilitation support in KP.
KP Board – BL Pana Copper Ltd, Canada
MoU between the KP Board of Investment & Trade and BL Pana Copper Ltd to identify cooperation opportunities and promote mining exports from KP.
Offshore Energy Cooperation, Turkey
MoU between Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and a consortium of OGDCL, Mari Energies Ltd and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) to support joint offshore hydrocarbon and energy exploration.
Sale of Stake in Reko Diq, Saudi Interest
Federal Cabinet approval for the sale of a 15% stake in the Reko Diq project to the Saudi mining fund, Manara Minerals, involving an estimated US$1 billion investment, broadening project ownership and capital base.
Estimated Investment Figures & Strategic Value
Reko Diq Copper-Gold Project
Expected capital cost exceeding $7–9 billion for phased development. External financial support and stake sale initiatives at PMIF25 suggested up to $1 billion (Manara Minerals stake) and institutional financing pathways beyond $2 billion.
Exploration & Joint Ventures
Multiple MoUs and agreements focus on geological mapping, lithium and rare earth exploration, processing technology, and lead & zinc projects, collectively signalling a multi-hundred-million-dollar near-term pipeline of activity.
Lounge MoUs
Smaller, targeted agreements under the Minerals Investment Lounge, such as KP province MOUs with Chinese and Canadian firms, are valued in the tens of millions USD range, foundational to provincial exploration initiatives.
Timing in favour of PMIF2026
The upcoming forum comes at a time when Pakistan is actively reshaping its economic narrative, underscored by renewed international confidence in its investment climate.
Geopolitical developments following the May 2025 military clashes, and the consequent successful Operation Bunyanun Marsoos, which inflicted historic losses on India and contributed to a perception of stability and strategic relevance, a narrative amplified through diplomatic engagement, including high-level recognition from the United States leadership.
Such developments have reinforced Pakistan’s profile as a reliable partner in both security and economic cooperation, positively influencing investor sentiment.
Preparations
Beyond symbolism, PMIF26 reflects a well-coordinated effort to convert Pakistan’s geology into investment and growth.
The federal government, through the Special Investment Facilitation Council, has prioritised mineral and energy development as a central part of its economic recovery strategy.
Regulatory simplification, faster licensing, and investor protection mechanisms are now central to the pitch being made to global capital.
Federal Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Pervaiz Malik has personally mobilised Pakistan’s diplomatic missions to ensure maximum international participation.
Addressing ambassadors and high commissioners, the minister urged aggressive marketing and direct investor engagement, directing envoys to actively court mining majors, sovereign funds, and energy companies across key capitals.
He told envoys that Pakistan was no longer merely offering raw potential but bankable projects supported by policy continuity, institutional backing and security assurances.
The diplomatic corps has since been tasked with identifying targeted investors for copper, lithium, rare earths, hydrocarbons and downstream processing ventures ahead of the forum.
What is Pakistan offering in PMIF2026?
Pakistan’s Priority Minerals — Location and Estimated Deposits
Pakistan has more than 92 identified minerals, but only a portion has been fully explored or quantified. Major deposits and estimated occurrences of priority minerals are as follows:
Copper
- Main locations: Chagai District, Balochistan: Reko Diq, and Saindak, both in Chagai.
• Key deposits:
Reko Diq: One of the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposits with an estimated 5.9 billion tonnes of ore grading about 0.41 per cent copper and rich gold byproduct potential.
Saindak: Established copper-gold project (operational).
• Additional occurrences: Smaller porphyry copper zones identified along the Tethyan belt in Balochistan and northern Pakistan.
Gold
- Main locations: Co-located with copper at Reko Diq and Saindak, Balochistan.
• Estimated scale:
Reko Diq contains significant gold values within its copper ore — roughly 41.5 million ounces of gold.
Other gold occurrences are reported in northern areas and various shear zones, but not yet fully quantified.
Lithium
- Main locations: Northern regions, particularly Gilgit‑Baltistan, Kaghan/Chitral belt and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Status: Occurrences have been identified in pegmatite fields, but commercially proven reserves are still under detailed evaluation.
Rare Earth Elements (REEs)
- Main locations:
Chagai region, Balochistan — pegmatites and granitic host rocks.
Gilgit‑Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — granitic/pegmatite belts and potential placer sands.
• Range: Pakistan is reported to host at least 12 of the 17 rare earth elements in varying concentrations.
• Deposit size: Formal commercial resource estimates are still evolving, but geological surveys show widespread anomalous REE occurrences.
Chromite
- Main locations:
Muslim Bagh, Balochistan — major chromite belt.
Parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern ophiolite belts.
• Estimated deposits: Around 2.5 million tonnes of chromite ore identified.
Antimony
- Main locations: Identified in hydrothermal veins primarily in Balochistan and trace occurrences elsewhere.
• Status: Smaller known antimony occurrences have been the focus of early pilot shipments, but comprehensive reserve figures are not yet publicly available.
Coal & Industrial Minerals
- Coal: Thar Coalfield, Sindh, one of the world’s largest lignite deposits, with around 175 billion tonnes of estimated reserves.
- Industrial minerals:
– Gypsum: Major deposits in Kohat and D.G. Khan.
– Rock salt: Khewra Mine, Punjab, is among the world’s largest rock salt deposits.
– Limestone, marble and granite: Spread across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Punjab.
Gemstones
- Main locations: Northern areas including Gilgit‑Baltistan, Chitral and Swat, and parts of Balochistan.
• Types: Emeralds, rubies, peridot, topaz, aquamarine and others, a range of semi-precious stones.
• Scale: Numerous small to medium deposits with high value per tonne, though not yet scaled commercially.
Lead‑Zinc
- Main location: Duddar Mine (Balochistan) — the country’s substantial lead‑zinc deposit with ~50 million tonnes of ore.
Quick Reference: Locations Summary
- Balochistan: Reko Diq (copper & gold), Saindak (copper & gold), Muslim Bagh (chromite), various antimony and mineral occurrences.
- Northern Pakistan & Gilgit‑Baltistan: Lithium, REEs, gemstones; several underexplored zones.
- Sindh: Coal, Thar, gypsum and industrial minerals.
- Punjab: Rock salt, Khewra, limestone, marble, gypsum and other industrial minerals.
Investor takeaway
Pakistan’s mineral landscape combines globally significant copper and gold deposits with emerging critical minerals like lithium and rare earths, abundant coal and industrial minerals, and a rich tapestry of gemstone and base metal occurrences across provinces.
While many deposits still require detailed quantification and feasibility studies, the geological data indicate that Pakistan’s priority minerals are geographically diversified and strategically positioned for value‑chain investments.
Energy sector offerings
Alongside minerals, Pakistan will offer fresh onshore and offshore oil and gas blocks under competitive bidding rounds.
The government is presenting unexplored sedimentary basins with improved seismic data, revised pricing incentives and fast-track approvals.
Pakistan’s energy sector continues to offer significant opportunities for investors, anchored in existing reserves and expanding exploration fronts.
As of December 2024, Pakistan’s proven oil reserves stood at about 238 million barrels, with the Sindh Basin leading production and hosting the bulk of onshore reserves, while a USAID-linked study estimates up to 14 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil in the Sindh and broader Indus Basin formations.
The country’s natural gas proven reserves are estimated at roughly 19 trillion cubic feet, though consumption patterns and production declines from mature fields underscore the need for discoveries.
Pakistan has also revitalised upstream activity with its first major offshore bidding round in decades, awarding 23 offshore blocks covering about 53,500 square kilometres in the Indus and Makran basins to local and international consortia, which have committed approximately $80 million in initial exploration work, with total investment potential rising to $750 million–$1 billion if drilling advances.
These developments reflect Islamabad’s dual focus on expanding domestic energy output and attracting foreign capital through structured, competitive exploration frameworks ahead of PMIF26.
Joint ventures with state-owned enterprises such as OGDCL and Pakistan Petroleum Limited are being encouraged.
Officials say investors will be able to explore integrated opportunities linking to mining, power generation, refining and logistics, particularly in resource-rich but underdeveloped regions.
Anticipated investment pledges
Although final figures will emerge closer to the forum, officials expect announcements covering exploration licences, joint development agreements, processing facilities and infrastructure financing.
The government believes PMIF26 can unlock multi-billion-dollar commitments over the medium term, even if initial agreements focus on phased investments and feasibility work.
The Asian Development Bank had already approved a $410 million package to support the development of Reko Diq, signalling multilateral financial support for Pakistan’s mineral sector.
Promising Pakistan-US partnership
Pakistan’s growing footprint in global critical minerals supply chains was underscored in early October 2025, when the country dispatched its first-ever shipment of rare earths and critical minerals to the United States.
The consignment was sent under a $500 million cooperation framework signed in September 2025 between Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organisation and Missouri-based US Strategic Metals.
The shipment included antimony, copper concentrate and rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium, marking the first tangible export under the agreement.
The exact value of the initial shipment was not disclosed, officials said it represented a pilot phase of a broader engagement covering exploration, beneficiation and downstream processing, with scope for expanded trade and investment following the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026.
Renewed confidence and strategic context
Investor confidence has strengthened since mid-2025, as Pakistan has combined economic diplomacy with a firm security posture.
Operation Bunyanun Marsoos, launched in response to Indian hostilities, was widely noted as a full-spectrum military response for its operational discipline and strategic restraint.
Pakistani officials observe that the episode reshaped global perceptions of risk and stability.
US President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged Pakistan’s regional relevance and its role in security and economic cooperation.
Officials believe this recognition, coupled with expanding engagement on energy and critical minerals, has helped reposition Pakistan within global investment conversations.
As global competition intensifies for secure mineral supply chains, Pakistan is presenting itself as a long-term partner rather than a short-term extraction site.
PMIF26 is therefore not just an exhibition. It is a statement of intent. Pakistan is seeking capital, technology, and partnerships to convert buried wealth into sustainable growth, exports and jobs, and it wants investors to see that the window is now open.
