Mari Minerals signs copper-gold exploration agreement with Canada's Ivanhoe Mines in Balochistan

Mari Minerals, a subsidiary of Mari Energies, has entered an agreement with Canadian miner Ivanhoe Mines to explore copper and gold prospects in Chagai, Balochistan. The signing took place on Thursday during the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, with Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik present. The companies plan to assess the area's mineral potential and identify possible development opportunities.

The deal was part of a wider set of meetings between Malik and international mining and investment firms attending the forum. Weir said it was interested in broader participation in Pakistan's mining industry, while Trafigura raised possible involvement in a zinc-barite project as well as LPG, storage and refinery opportunities. Barrick Mining chairman John Thornton also met the minister, and Ivanhoe delegation leader Robert Friedland held discussions with him.