China's Copper Mine in Pakistan Under Siege, 13 Killed

A Chinese-owned copper mine in Pakistan is facing a serious threat after a series of militant attacks disrupted the logistics route to the site, sparking concerns over the continuity of copper supply, which is China’s largest import from Pakistan. According to a report by Nikkei Asia on Friday, at least seven attacks have occurred in the southwestern province of Balochistan over the past three months. The attacks targeted highways, transport vehicles, mineral convoys, and the mining sites themselves. At least 13 people were reported killed in the spate of attacks. Dozens of vehicles were also damaged or set ablaze, whilst the main N-40 Quetta-Taftan Highway, which connects the mining region to the Iranian border, was temporarily paralysed. As a result of the disruption, logistical supplies to the Saindak mine, China’s only copper mine in Pakistan, have been affected. One of the necessities becoming scarce is fuel oil used to operate the power plant at the mine site. “Fuel oil for generating electricity at the Saindak project is running low because transport trucks cannot reach the location due to the militant attacks,” said a Pakistani government official who declined to be named. The Saindak mine is located in the Chagai District of Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan. The mine is owned by the Pakistani state company Saindak Metals Limited (SML), but has been operated since 2002 by MCC Resources Development (MRDL), a subsidiary of the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC). The mine management contract was even extended for 15 years in 2022. All copper production from the mine is exported to China. United Nations data shows China imported copper worth nearly US$1 billion from Pakistan in 2024, equivalent to about 35% of China’s total imports from Pakistan, including approximately 23,700 metric tonnes of copper produced at the Saindak Mine. However, SML Managing Director Raziq Sanjrani asserted that mine operations are still running normally. He stated the project has been operating for 25 years and there are no plans to halt production. Yet in a separate statement released this week, the company acknowledged that the security risk level in Chagai and the wider Balochistan region is classified as high. Repeated attacks along the N-40 Highway have hampered the movement of logistics trucks, security convoys, and the distribution of various mine supplies. Sean Hagarty, CEO of US-based mining risk intelligence firm Region Alert, said Baloch separatist groups are now executing a strategy of “economic blockade” by controlling the main distribution routes. “What is happening at Saindak is the clearest evidence that this economic blockade is beginning to have an impact. Anyone transporting goods or personnel along the same route faces a similar risk,” he said. The Pakistani government stated it has increased security around mining projects. Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry said the government has also received security complaints from the Saindak mine operator and has deployed additional personnel to protect the facilities, workers, and logistical shipments.