Project Vault: America has announced an investment of $ 1.3 billion in Pakistan’s Reco Deeq Khan. This investment is part of America’s new plan Project Vault. The objective of this scheme is to reshape the market of essential minerals and rare metals across the world.

The US State Department gave this information on Wednesday. Reko Diq, which is located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, is considered to be one of the largest gold and copper deposits in the world. According to the State Department, under Project Vault, America has invested only in this place outside the country.

Donald Trump had announced in February

Project Vault was announced by Donald Trump on February 2, 2026. This initiative is being run under the leadership of the President of the American Export-Import Bank (EXIM). Under this scheme, EXIM has approved a loan of 10 billion dollars for this project, which is one of the largest loans in the history of this federal agency. In the last one year, EXIM has issued letters of interest worth $14.8 billion for important mineral projects. Many deals have been made under this, which also includes an investment of 1.3 billion dollars in Pakistan.

Other investments in America

Several other investments have also been made in the US under Project Vault:

• A $10 billion plan, which will serve as the US Strategic Critical Mineral Reserve.
• $27.4 million for titanium, nickel and advanced metal powders in Pennsylvania.
• $23.5 million for advanced materials and critical metals processing in Tennessee.
• $15.9 million for zinc mining and production in New York.
• $11.1 million for titanium processing and manufacturing in Virginia.

Of all these, Pakistan is the only country where America has invested outside its country.

About Reko Deek Khan

Reko Diq Mine, located in Balochistan, Pakistan, is one of the world’s largest copper and gold reserves. According to the report, there are about 5.9 billion tons of ore in this area, which contains 0.41% copper and about 41.5 million ounces of gold. The Reko Diq area is part of the Chagai mountain range of Balochistan, which extends between the Quetta-Taftan railway line and the border with Afghanistan. This area is considered to be one of the old volcanic areas.

History of legal dispute

In 2011, Reco Diq Khan became the center of a major legal dispute. This dispute took place between Pakistan and Thethyan Copper Company (TCC). TCC was a partnership between Chile’s Antofagasta and Canada’s Barrick Gold. The allegation in this case was that the Australia-Pakistan investment agreement was violated and mining rights were wrongly given to TCC.

An important agreement was reached between America and Australia on Monday (20 October). US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed this agreement. This deal is related to rare earth minerals and critical minerals, which are necessary in making electric vehicles, jet engines and defense equipment.

Trump told in the White House that this agreement was completed after four-five months of negotiations. The two leaders also discussed trade, defense equipment and submarine projects. Albanese said the total value of this agreement was 8.5 billion dollars (about Rs 71,000 crore). Under this deal, both the countries will invest in mining and processing projects in the next six months. Also, a minimum price floor has been fixed for critical minerals, which was a demand of western companies for a long time.

America is increasing trust in Australia

China has the world’s largest rare earth reserves, but Australia is also an important player in this field. America is now increasing its trust in its QUAD partner Australia so that its dependence on China is reduced.

This agreement also has geopolitical importance. Western countries now want to reduce dependence on China. In recent months, China has tightened rare earth export controls, increasing pressure on the global supply chain. America and its allies consider it a threat to global industries.

What is the challenge for India?

This news is special for India. America is taking minerals from its QUAD ally Australia, while India is still dependent on China in many areas. The question arises that if India also deals with China in its own interest, then why should it be considered a ‘strategic risk’, whereas America is doing the same thing. This deal will strengthen US-Australia economic and defense ties and could change the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. The challenge for India is whether it should go along with global politics or take steps in the interest of its resources.

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Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is directly in touch with the Trump administration to persuade the US to excavate rare meaning and oil. Analysts say the deal may offend the local population and entangle Washington into unstable domestic conflict.

Times of Israel report
According to the report published in the Times of Israel, Trump is assured that Pakistan may be a source of rare minerals and oil. But it has been removed from the President’s briefing that mining in areas like Balochistan, Waziristan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be extremely difficult or impossible. These areas are also hostile to Pakistan’s army and have given up to China here.

Warning of experts
Geophysical expert Sergio Restley says that if Trump continues on this path, the US will again return to the same areas which Biden left, citing Doha Agreement. Other analysts said that Balochistan has long been the center of ethnic and political unrest. The perception of exploitation by external forces has spoiled the situation.

China’s role and local resentment
China’s influence has already increased local dissatisfaction through CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor). Now if the US is involved in extracting resources, then this protest may increase further.

18th Amendment and local rights
According to the resteli, even after 15 years of the 18th amendment in Pakistan, the provinces have not got real rights on their resources. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is full of marble, granite, gems, chromite and copper, yet this area is poor because the profit goes to the center and does not cost local structures, education or health. The condition of Balochistan is the worst. There is a glut of resources like copper, gold, coal and rare meanings, but it is the poorest and backward province in Pakistan.

American interest and potential results
According to the report, the Trump administration has declared rare minerals as a national security priority and is watching Pakistan to reduce dependence on China. At the same time, Islamabad is eager to get foreign currency. But the deals are always fixed in the center, the army implements them and imposed on the local public.

History is a witness that projects like RECO Dick and Sandak brought a promise of billions of dollars but the local people got homeless, pollution and unrest. If America also joined now, this model will become more rigid.

Possible results- not development, repression
Experts say that such projects will not be development but repression-villages will be converted into siege, disagreement will be made a crime, royalty will be stopped and the army will be deployed in the name of strategic security. As a result, the anti -America will be anger and faster, because at the grassroots level people will find this partnership like American collusion.