8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest

Contribution by Stephen G. Peters and Bernard H. Hubbard

Abstract

The Katawas gold area of interest (AOI) lies along the northwestern margin of the Katawas 

Basin in eastern Afghanistan. Although no known mineral occurrences or deposits are present in the 

AOI, geologic and remote-sensing data suggest that the environment is conducive to the occurrence of 

epithermal gold deposits. The Katawas AOI encompasses 1 of more than 19 geochemical halo zones in 

the Katawas Basin area that are anomalous in mercury, tungsten, gold and (or) lead. Studies of 

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) imagery have identified 

linear phyllic and argillic alteration zones on Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks within the AOI. 

Mapping of the ASTER imagery in the Katawas gold AOI has specifically identified illite, ferric iron, 

and clay with local calcite and smectite along a northwest structure that is likely a splay of the Chaman 

Fault zone. Airborne magnetic data also indicate that small igneous bodies may underlie or be proximal 

to this altered zone.

Evidence of hydrothermal mineralization occurs along the western margin of the Katawas Basin 

to the south of the Katawas gold AOI where phyllic and argillic alteration zones are spatially associated 

with Miocene plutons and stocks. In addition, base-metal mineralization is present along the eastern 

faulted margin of the Katawas Basin. The presence of geochemical anomalies of mercury and 

hydrothermal zones in the Katawas Basin suggests that a mineralizing hydrothermal system may have 

been active either during or after the development of the basin.

Because there are no known mineral deposits within the Katawas gold AOI and because this is a 

speculative AOI, the area requires ground visits, field mapping, and sampling to authenticate remotelysensed indications of mineralization.

8A.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes and interprets results for the Katawas gold Area of interest (AOI) from 

geologic and compilation activities that were conducted during 2009 to 2011 by the U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS), in conjunction with the U.S. Departmenr of Defense Task Force for Business and 

Stability Operations (TFBSO) and the Afghanistan Geological Survey (AGS). Accompanying 

complementary chapters 8B and 8C address hyperspectral data and geohydrologic assessments,

respectively, of the Katawas gold AOI. An inventory of individual datasets compiled for the Katawas 

gold AOI is included with the data information package for each AOI as well as an inventory specifying

what data have been compiled and are available from the Ministry of Mines, Kabul.

Most existing mineral-resource information in the data package has been gathered from reports 

written between the early 1950s and about 1985 by geologists from the Union of Soviet Socialist 

Republics (USSR) and its Eastern European allies, who provided Afghanistan with technical assistance. 

This information, combined with a preliminary assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2007 

(Peters and others, 2007), provided much of the basis for this chapter. The Katawas gold AOI and its 

subarea are speculative because no known mineral prospects are present, but the area was thought likely 

to be host to small- to medium-sized gold deposits that might have near-term mineral production. In 

addition, hypothetical gold deposits in the Katawas gold AOI may be near-surface bodies that contain 

promising metallurgical and mining characteristics.

The Katawas gold Area of interest (AOI) is in southeast Afghanistan in the Katawas Basin. The 

AOI has an area of 478.22 square kilometers (km2

) and lies within Ghazni and Paktika Provinces and in 
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 599

the Giro, Andar, Diti Yak, and Sharan administrative districts. Deposit types likely to be present in the 

Katawas gold AOI are hot-spring (and epithermal) gold and silver, mercury, and base-metal deposits 

(fig. 8A–1).

In addition, a number of geochemically anomalous halos in mercury, tungsten, gold and (or) lead 

are present within the Katawas Basin. Studies of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and 

Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) imagery have identified phyllic and argillic alteration zones in areas to 

the south of the Katawas gold AOI, which were designated separately as a permissive tract for porphyry 

copper deposits by Mars and Rowan (2007), Ludington and others (2007), and Peters and others (2007). 

Other hydrothermal base-metal districts also are documented on the east side of the Katawas Basin 

(Abdullah and others 1977; Peters and others, 2007). The presence of geochemically anomalous halos

and evidence of hydrothermal activity in the Katawas Basin suggest that mineralizing hydrothermal 

systems may have been active either during or after the development of the basin.

8A.2 Previous Work

No ancient workings or mining activity has been reported in the Katawas gold AOI. The first 

geologic work recorded in the Katawas Basin was by Auden (1962), who provided an early geologic 

map of the region (fig. 8A–2). Early work by Soviet and Afghanistan geologists was conducted in the 

Katawas Basin by Ganss (1964a, b, 1970), the German Geological Mission in Afghanistan (1969), 

Denikaev and others (1970), Koshelev and others (1972), and Sborshchikov and others (1974, 1975), 

and other authors listed in the text below. In addition, the Chaman Fault on the west side of the Katawas 

Basin, near the Katawas gold AOI, was identified as an active earthquake fault by Beun and others 

(1979), Quittmeyer and Jacob (1979), Yeats and others (1979), Beun (1982), and Lawrence and others 

(1992). The fault was recently described as a major hazard zone in Afghanistan by Wheeler and 

Rukstales (2007) and Boyd and others (2007). Mineralization in the area was discussed by Nikitin and 

others (1975) on the east side of the Katawas Basin at the Spira Lead Mine and in the southwest part of 

the Katawas Basin by Mars and Rowan (2007) and by Ludington and others (2007). Compilations of 

and discussion about the Katawas Basin area were done by Abdullah and others (1977), Doebrich and 

Wahl (2006), and Peters and others (2007). Airborne geophysics at the Katawas Basin were compiled 

and reprocessed by Sweeney and others (2006).

8A.3 Geology

The Katawas gold AOI lies along the western margin of the Katawas Basin (fig. 8A–2), which is 

bounded by the Chaman Fault and its splays (figs. 8A–3 and 8A–4a,b). The Katawas gold AOI lies 

along one of these fault splays (figs. 8A–4a, b).

The Chaman Fault system is more than 1,000 kilometers (km) long and extends from the Hindu 

Kush region in northeastern Afghanistan south-southwestward through eastern Afghanistan into western 

Pakistan (figs. 8A–3 and 8A–4a,b). Several large (Mw = 6 to 7) historical earthquakes produced surface 

ruptures along the fault in Afghanistan in 1505, 1892, and 1975 (Quittmeyer and Jacob, 1979; Lawrence 

and others, 1992; Yeats and others, 1979). Study of aerial photographs and interpretation of Quaternary 

geomorphology by Wellman (1965) suggest that slip rates on the Chaman Fault system were between 2 

and 20 millimeters per year (mm/yr).

The Katawas Basin is the largest mid-alpine structure of southeast Afghanistan (German 

Geological Mission in Afghanistan, 1969; Ganss, 1964a, b, 1970; Denikaev and others, 1970; Koshelev, 

1972; Sborshchikov and others, 1974, 1975). This synclinorium plunges to the southwest (fig. 8A–3). 

The northeastern parts are composed of weakly metamorphosed and folded 6,000–meter (m)-thick 

Permian-Triassic and Jurassic carbonate terrigenous rocks. Rocks constituting the basement complex are 

Paleogene, mostly Eocene in age. They have been crumpled to form northeast-trending folds that locally 

have been intruded by small bodies of Miocene diorite and syenite porphyries.

The Katawas Basin was named by the geologists of the German Geological Mission to describe a 

larger area including the Afghan part of the Kabul and the Khost areas (fig. 8A–5) (Dronov and others, 
600 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

1973; Sborshchikov and others, 1974, 1975). The basin was studied and described by Mennessier (1968, 

1970a, b, c), Kaever (1964, 1967a, b), Ganss (1964a, b, 1970), Bruggay (1973), Denikayev and others 

(1971), and Koshelev and others (1972). The Katawas Basin extends for 650 km (from south to north), 

and is as much as 160 km wide (fig. 8A–4). The boundary between the basin and the Khost Ophiolite is 

obscure, but probably tectonic. The main geosynclinal complex is composed of 4,490- to 7,550-m-thick, 

flysch-like, and irregularly interbedded, deformed and faulted Oligocene sandstone, shale, and siltstone 

as well as local limestone and conglomerate. Mafic volcanic rocks are common at the base of the 

sequence (fig. 8A–5).

The Katawas gold AOI lies along the faulted boundary between the Daste Nawar Trough and the 

Base Estada Sub-Basin within the greater Katawas Basin (figs. 8A–4 and 6a). Most faults in the 

Katawas Basin strike parallel to the general strike of folds and therefore is likely to be coeval with much 

of the folding. The structural pattern is dominated by independently different zones of folding 

(fig. 8A–6b). The Katawas gold AOI and its sub-zone lie above or proximal to aeromagnetic anomalies 

that may signify small intrusive bodies (figs. 8A–7a, b).

8A.4 Metallogeny

Mineral deposit types that are likely to be present in the Katawas gold AOI are base- and 

precious-metal epithermal deposits. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, epithermal occurrences and deposits of 

mercury, and, locally, associated base metals and possibly precious metals are hosted in Early 

Cretaceous continental calcareous sedimentary rocks intruded by Eocene to Oligocene porphyritic 

diorite dikes. These mineralized systems are present in Farah, Ghor, Oruzgan, and Bamyan Provinces 

(Peters and others, 2007). Porphyry copper deposits were also speculated to occur along the 

southwestern margin of the Katawas Basin (Ludington and others, 2007). 

Figure 8A–1. Location of the Katawas gold area of interest in southeastern Afghanistan (and subareas) in 

Afghanistan. Katawas gold is one of the smaller areas of interest.
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 601

Figure 8A–2. Scanned version of a map from Auden (1962) presented as an example of previous work in the 

Katawas Basin area. Katawas gold area of interest lies to the north of this figure.

Mercury occurrences elsewhere in Afghanistan occur in shattered fault zones and contain 

carbonate, dickite, and silica alteration. Mineralization types include disseminations and veinlets of 

cinnabar, which locally are accompanied by pyrite, chalcopyrite, and arsenic sulfide minerals. The 
602 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Katawas Basin had a similar although younger geologic environment (Peters and others, 2007) and also 

contains numerous mercury geochemical halo dispersion anomalies that are hosted in Mesozoic and 

Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks in northeast Kandahar, east Zabul, and Paktika Provinces 

(figs. 8A–8 and 9). The three principal classes of mercury deposit types that could be present, as 

suggested in Peters and others (2007), are hot-spring mercury (Rytuba, 1986a), Alamaden mercury

(Rytuba, 1986b), and silica-carbonate mercury deposits (Rytuba, 1986c). All three deposit models have 

some similar characteristics but differ in size and locally in age and host rock type. Characteristics of all 

three model types are present in Afghanistan in the Katawas Basin (Abdullah and others, 1977); 

however, the general hot-spring mercury model may be the most understood and the most applicable, 

because of the widespread mercury geochemically anomalous halos there. Epithermal mercury deposits 

in Afghanistan contain features that are highly compatible with those found in precious- and base-metal 

deposits elsewhere in the world. By further speculation, hypothetical precious-metal deposits in the 

Katawas Basin, such as those targeted in the Katawas gold AOI, should contain compatible features. 

Deposits commonly genetically and spatially associated with epithermal mercury deposits are 

epithermal gold and silver deposits, and a few gold anomalies are present in the Katawas Basin 

(fig. 8A–8). Epithermal gold deposits are divided into a number of different types by Cox and Singer 

(1986). The quartz-adularia types have been described by Berger (1986) and quartz-alunite by Mosier 

and others (1986a, b). Associated deposit types are porphyry copper, polymetallic replacement, and 

volcanic-hosted Cu–As–Sb. Alteration products such as pyrophyllite, hydrothermal clay, and alunite 

also are commonly associated with these deposits. Summaries of the characteristics of precious- and 

base-metal epithermal deposits are contained in Cox and Singer (1986) and Simmons and others (2005). 

The presence of 19 geochemically anomalous halos of mercury, tungsten, gold, and (or) lead within the 

Katawas Basin (figs. 8A–8 and 9) suggests the likelihood that several mineralizing hydrothermal 

systems may have been active in the basin either during or after the development of the basin. A number 

of areas within the Katawas Basin have evidence of hydrothermal activity and base- or precious-metal 

activity.

The first area that shows evidence of hydrothermal activity in the Katawas Basin is area 1 on 

figure 8A–9. Mapping of ASTER imagery has identified phyllic and argillic alteration zones that are 

spatially associated with Miocene plutons and stocks (map unit N1

dig, Doebrich and Wahl, 2006) 

(fig. 8A–10a). This altered area was designated as a permissive tract for porphyry copper deposits 

(Mars and Rowan, 2007; Ludington and others, 2007; Peters and other, 2007). The area is locally 

anomalous in mercury and tungsten with trace amounts of lead and zinc along a northeast-striking linear 

zone. The western boundary of the altered zone is the Chaman Fault (fig. 8A–10a). The alteration 

patterns are linear and spatially correspond with the distribution of the Miocene alkaline intrusive 

outcrops and faulting (fig.8A–10a). The intrusive rocks have no apparent magnetic signature and 

therefore could be ilmenite-series rocks and are described as diorite, granodiorite, monzonite, syenite, 

and nepheline syenite porphyry (Doebrich and Wahl, 2006). 

The second area that shows evidence of hydrothermal activity in the Katawas Basin is area 2 on 

figure 8A–9. The area contains a number of hydrothermal quartz veins discovered recently by a local 

prospector (fig. 8A–11). These veins have comb textures that are indicative of mesothermal to 

epithermal depths of formation. Additional information is not available (A. Chaihorsky, Reno, NV, oral

commun., 2010). 

The third area that shows evidence of hydrothermal activity in the Katawas Basin is area 3 on 

figure 8A–9, the Spira–Zanda Gharay lead-zinc (copper) area that contains the Spira lead-zinc prospect 

and the Zanda Gharay lead-zinc vein, both in Khost Province along the eastern, faulted boundary of the 

Katawas Basin (fig. 8A–10b). The Spira lead-zinc prospect lies along the contact between Triassic 

sandstone, slate, and limestone and Paleocene conglomerate and sandstone in a 40– to 60–m-wide 

brecciated, hydrothermally altered zone. Mineralization is 380 m long, 7 to 15 m wide, and 40 to 77 m 

deep and contains disseminated veinlets of massive sphalerite, galena, and pyrite grading 1.12 weight 

percent zinc, with traces of antimony, arsenic, nickel, and silver. Estimated reserves are 11,900 tonnes 
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 603

combined Pb and Zn (3,100 tonnes Pb, 8,800 tonnes Zn) (Nikitin and others, 1973). The Zanda Gharay 

vein lies along the north- northeast-trending brecciated and hydrothermally altered fault zone between 

Lower Carboniferous slate and Eocene conglomerate (fig. 8A–10b). Individual zones are anomalous in 

copper. These two occurrences indicate that there has been post-Eocene hydrothermal activity on the 

eastern margin of the Katawas Basin. The features in each occurrence are compatible with the 

hydrothermal processes. 

8A.5 Known Deposits

There are no known mineral deposits within the Katawas gold AOI. This is a speculative AOI 

and requires ground visits, field mapping, and sampling to authenticate remote-sensed indications of 

mineralization.

Figure 8A–3. Shaded relief map of Afghanistan showing major earthquake faults from Boyd and others (2007) 

and proximity of the Katawas gold area of interest to the Chaman Fault.
604 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Figure 8A–4. Geophysical maps of the Katawas Basin area, eastern Afghanistan showing location of the 

Chaman Fault (thick black line), Katawas gold area of interest, Katawas Basin, and Khost Ophiolite. Data from 

Sweeney and others (2006). (a) Aeromagnetic anomaly map reduced to pole. Small dots are villages. 

(b) First-derivative aeromagnetic map.
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 605

Figure 8A–5. Geologic cross section through the Katawas Basin, from Sborshchikov and others (1975), as reproduced in Abdullah and others (1977). 

(A) Along the Urgun-Shkin line. (B) Along the Mashorei line.
606 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Figure 8A–6. Maps showing features in and around the Katawas gold area of interest (AOI). (a) Tectonic 

divisions of the area (data from Peters and others, 2007). The Katawas gold AOI lies along the boundary between 

the Daste-Nawar Trough and the Abe-Estada Sub-Basin. (b) Landsat image showing outline of the AOI, major 

villages (green circles), smaller villages (small black dots), and rivers. A northeast-trending lineament is evident in 

the outcrops.
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 607

Figure 8A–7. Maps of airborne geophysical data of area proximal to the Katawas gold area of interest (AOI) 

(derived from Sweeney and others, 2006). (a) Magnetic anomalies. (b) First- derivative magnetic anomalies. 

Warmer colors indicate higher magnetic zones. Probable igneous intrusives are indicated within and proximal to the 

AOI by red-colored anomalies.
608 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Figure 8A–8. Shaded relief map showing location of geochemical dispersion halo stream-sediment sample 

anomalies in proximity to the Katawas gold AOI (red rectangular outline). Anomalies are labeled as to the major 

anomalous element(s) present. Note that the Katawas gold AOI lies within a tungsten-mercury anomaly and is 

proximal to gold anomalous halos. Data from Peters and others (2007).

8A.6 Katawas Gold AOI Area Anomaly

Stream-sediment geochemistry used together with targeted identification of hydrothermal 

alteration and (or) aeromagnetic anomalies has been successful in locating volcanic-hosted epithermal 

Au–Ag–Zn–Pb–Cu deposits on the North Island of New Zealand (Sheppard and others, 2009), as well as 

sedimentary rock-hosted epithermal (Carlin-type) Au deposits in China (Zhang and others, 2010). 

Hedenquist and others (2000) review the deposit textural types, host-rock environments, fluid 

hydrothermal alteration regimes, resulting mineralogy, weathering, and supergene processes related to 

the formation and exhumation of epithermal gold deposits. In particular, they distinguish different types 

of epithermal deposits such as (1) high-temperature argillic alteration—dominated by illite ±quartz, 

(2) moderate-temperature argillic alteration—dominated by interstratified illite-smectite clay minerals, 

and (3) low temperature argillic alteration—dominated by smectite. In addition they describe high 

temperature propylitic alteration (with epidote present) type deposits and low temperature propylitic 

alteration types (with chlorite and (or) calcite present).
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 609

Figure 8A–9. Map showing location of Katawas gold area of interest (AOI) in the Katawas Basin and permissive 

area for epithermal gold and mercury deposits (Peters and others, 2007). Areas where additional hydrothermal 

activity has been described in the Katawas Basin outside the AOI are (1) southwestern Katawas, from Mars and 

Rowan (2007), (2) East Paktika, and (3) West Khost Spira lead-zinc prospect area.
610 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Figure 8A–10. Maps of two areas suspected of hydrothermal activity in the Katawas Basin (Peters and others, 2007). (a) Southwestern Katawas ASTER 

anomaly area (outlined dashed red line) of Mars and Rowan (2007). This is area 1 in figure 8A–9. Miocene intrusives contain both argillic and propylitic 

alteration assemblages within and proximal to them. Alteration areas are gray and yellow polygons. (b) Map of Spira–Zanda Gharay lead-zinc (copper) area 

(outlined with dashed red line) in eastern Paktia Province on the faulted eastern margin of permissive tract for mercury. This is area 3 on figure 8A–9.
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 611

Most of these minerals (all of the phyllosilicates) can be detected using visible to infrared 

reflectance data (0.4- to 2.5-micrometer (μm) wavelength region) from either hyperspectral sensors or 

an advanced multispectral sensor such as ASTER. The latter has additional multispectral bands in the 

8- to 14-μm wavelength region of the thermal infrared (TIR) useful for mapping quartz and other 

primary rock-forming silicate minerals. The ratio of ASTER visible wavelength bands 2/1 is useful for 

mapping ferric-iron minerals, while the ratio of ASTER TIR bands 13/12 is useful for mapping quartz 

(Rowan and others, 2003). Collectively, these two ASTER band ratio results can be thresholded to map 

gossanized areas (as well as ferricrete, “pseudogossans” and some types of laterites – Raines and Gabell, 

1982; Raines and others, 1985; Fraser and others, 1986) containing both mineral types. This same 

mineral combination is depicted as green in figure 8A–12. 

The resulting image spectral analysis and classification (fig. 8A–12) show that the Katawas gold

AOI contains an ASTER anomaly with spectral and mineralogical characteristics that is similar to 

epithermal gold-silver deposits. The alteration assemblage mapped in the ASTER images lies well

within a tungsten and mercury mineral stream-sediment dispersion anomaly (figs. 8A–12a and b). The 

geochemical anomaly is about 9 km long and 2 km wide and consists of a north-central area. The 

location of the geochemical and ASTER anomalies is the basis for identification of the AOI. The 

mapped ASTER imagery contains multispectral bands useful for identifying areas containing ferric-iron, 

clay, and quartz-rich gossans. These altered zones are mixed with signatures of illite and (or) muscovite 

and are bordered on the northwest and east by smectite on the lower slopes. Locally, there are also small 

zones of calcite and residual clays (fig. 8A–12). These alteration assemblages lie along a northeaststriking linear zone which is likely to be above or adjacent to a small igneous body (figs. 8A–6a and b) 

or may be hosted in a splay of the Chaman Fault zone (fig. 8A–4) separating two adjacent accreted 

terranes, along which such epithermal gold (and mercury) mineralization is common (Groves and others, 

2003). 

Figure 8A–11. Photograph of quartz vein from Paktika Province, area 2 on figure 8A–9. Width of view is 

17 centimeters.
612 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Figure 8A–12. Maps showing ASTER anomalies in and around the Katawas gold area of interest. (a) Geologic 

map areas (lithologic symbology after Doebrich and Wahl, 2006) and ASTER anomalous zones. (b) Geochemical 

anomaly of tungsten and mercury around ridge containing gold subarea.
8A. Summary of the Katawas Gold Area of Interest 613

8A.7 Summary of Potential

The Katawas gold Area of interest (AOI) was delineated because it was thought to contain a 

specific multi-mineralogical alteration assemblage mapped in ASTER imagery that matches many 

precious- metal epithermal systems. The AOI also has a linear shape suggesting that it is also 

structurally controlled. In addition, the alteration zone lies well within a geochemical dispersion halo 

anomaly that also is compatible with geochemical signatures found in epithermal base- and preciousmetal deposits. The presence of quartz and limonite in ASTER mapped “gossanized” areas is a good 

indication that such a system may be present.

The alteration area in the AOI should be visited, mapped, sampled, and prospected for 

mineralized rock. If epithermal deposits are present in the altered area, it is likely that other minor zones 

on the margins or locally within the Katawas Basin may also contain both concealed and other exposed 

epithermal deposits.

8A.8 Selected References

Abdullah, S., Chmyriov, V.M., Stazhilo-Alekseyev, K.F., Dronov, V.I., Gannan, P.J., Rossovskiy, L.N., 

Kafarskiy, A. Kh., and Malyarov, E.P., 1977, Mineral resources of Afghanistan (2d ed.): Kabul, 

Afghanistan, Republic of Afghanistan Geological and Mineral Survey, 419 p. 

Auden, J.B., 1962, Preliminary geologic map of part of the Katawas Area: United Nations Special Fund 

Project, Afghanistan, and Drawing No. X, v. II-19, scale: 1:200,000. 

Berger, B.R., 1986, Descriptive model of hot-spring Au-Ag, in Cox, D.P., and Singer, D.A., eds., 1986, 

Mineral deposit models: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1693, p. 143. 

Beun, N., 1982, Grands ensembles sedimentaires et structuraux des montagnes situees a l'Est de la faille 

de Chaman–Arghandeh, entre Ghazni et Moqur (Afghanistan du Sud–Est), Translated Title: Major 

sedimentary and structural complexes of the mountains to the east of Chaman–Arghandeh Fault 

between Ghazni and Moqur, southeastern Afghanistan, Bulletin de la Societe Geologique de France, 

v. 24, no. 2, p. 331–339. 

Beun, N., Bordet, P., and Carbonnel, J.P., 1979, Premieres donnees quantitatives relatives au coulissage 

du decrochement de Chaman (Afghanistan du Sud–Est), Translated Title: Preliminary quantitative 

data relating to the sliding of Chaman Fault, Southeast Afghanistan, Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires 

des Seances de l'Academie des Sciences, Serie D: Sciences Naturelles, v. 288, no. 11, p. 931–934. 

Boyd, O.S., Mueller, C.S., and Rukstales, K.S., 2007, Preliminary earthquake hazard map of 

Afghanistan: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007–1137, 25 p., available at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1137/. 

Cox, D.P., and Singer, D.A., eds., 1986, Mineral deposit models: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1693, 

379 p. 

Bruggay, J., 1973, Mesozoic and Paleogene in Northern Paktia (SE Afghanistan): Bulletin of the 

Afghanistan Geologic and Miner. Survey, Kabul, 7 p. 

Denikaev, Sh., Feoktistov, V.P., Pyzhyanov, I.V., Adjuruddin, A.A., Narbaev, Sh. N., and Konev, Yu. 

M., 1970, Geology and minerals in the south part of Eastern Afghanistan (Report of the Kabul team on 

the work in 1970): Kabul, Rec. Office, Department of Geology and Mineral Surveys. Archival data, 

unpaginated. 

Doebrich, J.L., and Wahl, R.R., 2006, Geologic and mineral resource map of Afghanistan: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006–1038, 1 sheet scale 1:850,000. available at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1038/. 

Dronov, V.I., Chmyriov, V.M., Kafarskiy, A. Kh., Abdullah, D., and Salah, A.S., eds., 1973, Scheme of 

stratigraphy of Afghanistan, in Geology and mineral resources of Afghanistan: Prin. Kabul Times, 

Kabul, First Edition. 

ESCAP, 1995, Atlas of mineral resources of the ESCAP Region—Geology and mineral resources of 

Afghanistan: NTIS # UN-0561, 150 p. 
614 Summaries of Important Areas for Mineral Investment and Production Opportunities of Nonfuel Minerals in Afghanistan

Fraser, S.J., Gabell, A.R., Green, A.A., and Huntington, J.F., 1986, Targeting epithermal alteration and 

gossans in weathered and vegetated terrains using aircraft scanners: successful Australian case 

histories: Invited paper and poster, in

Ganss, O., 1964a, Zur geologischen Geschichte der Belutechistan- Indus-Geosynklinale: Geol. Jb., 

Hannover, no. 82, S., p. 203–241.

Proceedings of the Fifth Thematic Conference on Remote 

Sensing for Exploration Geology, Reno, NV, v. 1, p. 63–84.

Ganss, O., 1964b, Geosynklinalbecken, Tektonik, Granite und Junger Vulkanismus in Afghanistan:

Geol. Rdsch., Stuttgart, v. 54, no. 2, S., p. 668–698.

Ganss, O., 1970, Zur Geologie von Südost-Afghanistan. I. Geologie des Gebietes von Ghazni-GardezUrgun; 2. Geologie des Gebietes urn Mukur und Ob-i-Istada: Bh. geol. Jb., Hannover, no. 84, p. 203

German Geological Mission in Afghanistan, 1969, Final Report of the Bundesanstalt für 

Bodenforachung, Department of Geology and Mineral Surveys, Kabul, unpaginated.

Groves, D.I., Goldfarb, R.J., Robert, F., and Hart, C.J.R., 2003, Gold deposits in metamorphic belts: 

overview of current understanding, outstanding problems, future research, and exploration 

significance: Economic Geology, v. 98, p. 1-29.

Hedenquist, J.W., Arribas, A., and Gonzalez-Urien, E., 2000, Exploration for epithermal gold deposits 

(Chap. 7), in 

Kaever, M., 1964, Über Assilina lacunata Cicaccourt aus dem Unter-Eozän Afghanistans: Geol. Jb., 

Hannover, no.82, S. p. 131–142.

Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 13, 

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