Gold & Base Metal Geochemical Exploration
PMDC carried out stream sediments based geochemical exploration as an executing agency in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The Project was started in January 1992 implemented with the assistance of AusAID. Geochemical sampling has covered about 50% of the total area. A total number of 4,208 stream sediment samples have been collected out of which 2,380 samples have been chemically analyzed for eight elements. By the end of December 2000 the Project has invested a total amount of Rs.64.216 million. Chemical analysis of both panned concentrate and -80 mesh samples have yielded the following results

Element	No. of Anomalies
Gold	199
Silver	131
Copper	280
Lead	293
Zinc	483
Cobalt	477
Nickel	502
Bismuth	119
Total	2,484

Encouraged with the results generated under this Project M/s Minorco carried out further work by analyzing 32 elements on 2600 duplicate samples and has confirmed 586 anomalies including 97 of gold. During the year 1999-2000 the Project concentrated in locating gold mother rocks. Their hectic work has identified at least five localities with the following gold values

Locality Name	Gold Values (ppm)
Ranthak	0.2 to 24.0
Golo Das	0.1 to 1.2
Shigri Bala	0.24 to 1.5
Muchlu	0.15 to 0.24
Bagrot	0.11 to 3.01

Ultra Refined Crystalline Salt (PVD Salt)
Ultra Refined crystalline salt is not produced in the country. There is a good market in the elite society both in Pakistan as well as in the nearby Middle East countries. Our Warcha Salt Mines are producing about 200,000 tons of rock salt annually. Resources are sufficient to double this production. Plant with 150,000 tons of PVD (Pure Vacuum Dried) salt is considered to be a good rationale target to meet the demand both inside and export purpose. Its possible investment is about US$40 million.

Smokeless Coal Briquetting Plant)
Total coal resources of the country stand about 186 billion tons largely located in Sindh. JICA carried out feasibility studies and suggested to install a 50,000 tons capacity plant at the initial stage later on up-graded into a 300,000 tons capacity plant. For the production of one ton of coal briquettes the following raw material will be used

Raw Material	Requirement ( ton)
Lakhra coal	1.250
Bagasse	0.325
Slacked lime	0.0625
Slacked wax	00.006
Light fuel oil	0.044
Fuel Lakhra coal	0.373

PMDC has 38 million tons coal in its own lease with the production capacity of 300,000 tons annually. Planned production can be increased if coal briquetting plant is designed on these resources. PMDC has its own experience in operating a briquetting plant at Quetta.

Coal for Small Power Plants
With a vision of large population and need for high industrialization power requirement is inevitable. Oil and gas based power plants' production cost is rapidly increasing. Coal with known resources stands a good viable proposition in thermal power generation. PMDC is supplying coal to the WAPDA thermal power plant at Khanot. We offer our coal with the following average analysis as received basis

Moisture	25%
Ash	19.3%
Volatile matter	28.8%
Fixed carbon	26.9%
K.cal /kg	1,720
Total sulphur	5.95%