# Pakistan's mineral exports could rise from $3 billion to $8 billion, with Reko Diq copper due by 2028

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/business/pakistans-mineral-exports-could-rise-from-dollar3-billion-to-dollar8-billion)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 17 Oct 2026
Updated: 17 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 17 Oct 2026

> Pakistan has found 92 minerals and mines 52 commercially, yet the sector is under 3% of GDP. Reko Diq's first phase and an investment forum in Islamabad on 12 and 13 November are the next markers.

Pakistan's mineral exports could grow from about **$3 billion to $8 billion** a year with better policy, infrastructure and investment, [ProPakistani reported](https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/16/pakistan-targets-8-billion-mineral-exports/) on Friday. In rupees, at today's rate on our [dollar to rupee page](/data/usd-pkr), that is a jump from roughly **Rs 830 billion to Rs 2.2 trillion**.

## The numbers behind the target

- **92 minerals** have been discovered in Pakistan, and **52** are mined commercially, according to available estimates.
- Total reserves are put at about **$8 trillion**.
- Even so, mining contributes **less than 3% of GDP**.

The gap between what is in the ground and what is sold abroad is the whole argument for the $8 billion figure: most of the value is either not mined yet or exported raw.

## Reko Diq is the big one

**Reko Diq** in Chagai, Balochistan, is Pakistan's largest foreign investment project. First-phase production is expected by the **end of 2028**, and once running it should produce about **240,000 tonnes of copper and 297,000 ounces of gold a year**.

To put the gold figure in local terms: 297,000 troy ounces is about **9,240 kilograms**, or close to **792,000 tola**. At the current sarafa rate on our [24k gold page](/data/gold-24k-tola), that is worth more than **Rs 340 billion** a year at today's prices. Our [gold converter](/tools/finance/gold-converter) does the tola, gram and ounce sums for any amount.

## What comes next

- **US Strategic Metals**, a US company, has signed agreements with Pakistan to develop critical minerals.
- The **Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026** is set for **12 and 13 November** at the Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad.
- This week Pakistan and Turkey also signed a deal to explore **antimony, gold and copper in Pishin**, Balochistan ([our story](/news/business/pakistan-and-turkey-sign-deal-to-explore-antimony-gold-and-copper-in-pishin)).

## What it means for you

Mining revenue goes first to the federal and Balochistan governments through royalties and taxes, so the household effect is indirect: more dollars coming in eases pressure on the rupee and the import bill. Whether $8 billion is reached depends on projects like Reko Diq arriving on schedule, which is still two years away.

## Frequently asked questions

**When will Reko Diq start producing copper and gold?**

First-phase production at Reko Diq is expected by the end of 2028, with about 240,000 tonnes of copper and 297,000 ounces of gold a year once it is running, ProPakistani reported.

## Sources

- Pakistan Targets $8 Billion Mineral Exports (16 Oct 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/16/pakistan-targets-8-billion-mineral-exports/

How to cite: "Pakistan's mineral exports could rise from $3 billion to $8 billion, with Reko Diq copper due by 2028", Searchable, 17 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/business/pakistans-mineral-exports-could-rise-from-dollar3-billion-to-dollar8-billion