خبرونه - سوداګري

Afghan Ministry of Mines on Sunday said that the drilling process at Ainak copper mine in eastern Logar province has finished and samples have been sent to China for laboratory tests.

A total of 2,900 samples have been taken from the wells dug by the Chinese company (MCC) and from areas marked by the Russians.

According to the Ministry of Mines, the extraction process of the Ainak copper deposits in Logar will start in two years after laboratory results are received from China.

The first laboratory results will be clear in the next one and half months, the Ministry added.

The same samples are also to be sent to another country for cross-tests.

"The samples were taken after thorough study in different parts of the Ainak copper mine and samples are sent to China," Ainak Mine coordinator, Abdul Aziz, said.

A well with the depth of 4,000 meters has been dug by the Russians, he said.

Ainak mine in Logar is the biggest copper mine in Afghanistan that has attracted a lot of foreign investment.