The imported equipment and machinery from Italy and Turkey worth more than Rs 600 million in early 2007 for blasting and drilling of modern quarries in Balochistan and NWFP has been rusted.



The members of All Pakistan Marble Mining, Processing, Industry and Exporters Association (APMMPIEA) said Monday the Ministry of Industries with the help of the Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) had imported modern machinery for quarrying.



They said for this purpose PASDEC had setup two different machinery pools at Risalpur.



"No one in the marble sector has so far been provided any sort of pool's facility despite the assurance from the Federal Minister to stop blasting immediately and benefit from latest machinery for quarrying on low rental basis from PASDEC's machinery pool," president Mardan Marble Association said.



Former chairman APMMPIEA, Sanaullah Khan said export of marble goods during July-April 2009 stood $29 million as compared with the same period last year which stood at $18 million. He said PASDEC under the Ministry of Industries has invested around Rs 1.36 billion for the development of this sector during last three years.



He said PASDEC imported dozers, wire cut machinery, loaders, excavators, block movement machinery, wire-saw and other tools.



He said losses could be reduced with the use of modern technology as Pakistan has one of the world's largest reserves of marble and granite, which India and China lack. If these resources were properly utilised it would increase economic development of the country as a whole as well as development of the concerned areas.



The traditional extraction method (blasting) has a very high percentage of wastage.



Up to 85 percent marble was wasted due to blasting, which means that most of natural reserve of marble and granite was heartlessly put to waste. Khan said global trade in marble and granite is estimated at $41 billion annually. He said Pakistan remains a marginal market player with exports stagnant at about $32 million.



The government has set an export target $500 million to be achieved by 2013 from export of marble and granite when all projects relating to establishment of Model Quarries and Marble Cities initiated by PASDEC.



Main purchasers of Pakistani marble/granite are USA, Italy, China, UK, Germany and others, officials in the ministry of Industry, Production told.



Officials in the Ministry said realising the potential in marble and granite sector, the government has approved in principle the project relating to the establishment of 10 model quarries, two machinery pools and four common facility training centres.



Total cost of the project is Rs 1.98 billion and Ministry of Industry, Production and Special Initiatives is the sponsoring agency.



Mining and quarry contribute nearly 0.5 percent to Pakistan's Gross Domestic Products (GDP) with an estimated value addition of Rs 16 billion.



The recent operation against extremists in the northern areas of Pakistan has hampered the mining and quarrying activities. It has been reported that the local Taliban have asked for illegal gratification from the local mine owners. They were warned about grave consequences if they did not comply. The export of marble to China has been also hit due to the said operation. China has been forced to import marble and granite from Latin America on higher rates.