Afghanistan's gold rush upends lives, landscapes in northeastern Badakhshan province

A gold rush in Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province is dramatically altering the region's environment and the lives of its inhabitants. Large-scale mining operations, employing dozens of excavators working day and night, are extracting gold from mountainsides that were once home to villagers and their livestock.

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Before, the river was deep, the water was clean.

Thousands of miners are concentrated in the Shiwa area, drawn by the prospect of work amidst widespread job scarcity across the country. While some residents have profited, many, like farmer Muhammad Amin, regret the environmental toll. Amin laments that the river water is no longer drinkable, the riverside vegetation has vanished, and farming has become impossible due to dust and wind, drastically reducing his ability to sustain his livestock.

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the water of the river is not drinkable; you can’t even wash your body with that water

The Afghan Taliban, aiming to bolster state revenue, have expanded the mining sector since regaining power. Abdul Mateen Rahimzai, head of Badakhshan’s mines department, reported approximately 650 to 700 registered companies and thousands of manual laborers. A World Bank report noted significant annual growth in mining contracts since 2021. Despite the economic activity, the environmental degradation and the displacement of traditional livelihoods present a stark contrast to the potential financial gains.

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has all gone