Pakistan and Canada are exploring expanded cooperation in the minerals and energy sectors as Islamabad moves to revive long delayed mining projects, including the flagship Reko Diq copper gold mine. The development reflects Pakistan’s broader strategy to attract foreign investment and unlock its vast mineral potential.
Reko Diq, located in Balochistan’s Chagai district, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper gold deposits, with estimated reserves of nearly six billion tonnes of ore. The project remained stalled for more than a decade due to international arbitration disputes but was successfully restructured in 2022. Under the new arrangement, Canadian mining company Barrick Gold holds a fifty percent stake alongside federal and provincial partners from Pakistan.
Significant progress has been made toward project implementation, including multilateral financing from international institutions and major equipment procurement deals. A four hundred forty million dollar contract with Japan’s Komatsu for mining machinery signals readiness for the construction phase, which is expected to begin in 2026. Recently, the United States approved one point two five billion dollars in export financing to support the project.
The first production from Reko Diq is expected by late 2028, with annual output projected at around two hundred thousand tonnes of copper along with substantial gold production. The project is considered central to Pakistan’s economic recovery plan, with officials viewing large scale mining as a source of exports, foreign exchange earnings and employment generation.
In this context, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik met Canada’s High Commissioner to Pakistan Tarik Ali Khan to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in mining and energy. The Canadian envoy described Reko Diq as a strong foundation for deeper Pakistan Canada collaboration and said efforts were underway to encourage more Canadian companies to invest in Pakistan’s mining sector.
Canada has also offered technical assistance, particularly in large scale mining, environmental management and community development. Pakistan was invited to participate in the 2026 PDAC convention, providing an opportunity to showcase its mineral resources and attract global investors, while both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector.
