Barrick eyes mineral processing investment in Karachi, Gwadar

Barrick Mining Corporation is considering investment in mineral processing facilities in Karachi and Gwadar, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday, Profit by Pakistan Today reported. The company’s delegation, led by Chairman John Thornton, welcomed the government’s plan to hold the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026. The proposed facilities could expand domestic processing of minerals, though no investment amount or timeline was disclosed.

The talks also covered Barrick’s international expertise and the Reko Diq copper-gold project, jointly owned by the company and the federal and Balochistan governments. Sharif said mineral development should support jobs, skills and infrastructure in resource-rich communities. Separately, Ivanhoe Mines executive co-chairman Robert Friedland met the prime minister to discuss opportunities in copper, gold and critical minerals, with the government offering to facilitate investment through the SIFC.