A man works at a talc stone processing factory in Sorkh Road district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, on May 9, 2021. Afghanistan has resumed the export of talc stone from a key mine in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)
KABUL, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan has resumed the export of talc stone from a key mine in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Sunday.
"The process of exporting talc stone has resumed recently. In the last two months, thousands of tons of talc stone have been exported from Nangarhar province, collecting nearly 100 million afghanis (about 1.3 million U.S. dollars)," the ministry said in a statement.
The export of the talc stone, which is used in many industries, including paper making, plastic, paint and coating, rubber, electric cable, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, dusting powder for babies and ceramics, stopped late last year.
Nangarhar has been the scene of clashes between security forces and Taliban militants in recent years.
According to the statement, 37 talc stone processing factories have been operating in Nangarhar, providing employment for 5,000 locals.
Most of the processed talc stone is exported to India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Germany, the statement said.
The talc stone mines also exist in Kandahar, Kabul, Wardak, Logar, Kunar, Khost, Kapisa, and Parwan provinces. Enditem
