Reko Diq to bring multi-generational benefits to Balochistan: Barrick CEO

QUETTA: Reko Diq is not just a mining project, it is a multi-generational opportunity that promises long-term economic and social development for local communities, said Mark Bristow, CEO of Barrick Mining Corporation, during his visit to Humai village, the closest settlement to the Reko Diq project site.

During his interaction with community members, Bristow reaffirmed Reko Diq Mining Company’s (RDMC) commitment to empowering the people of Balochistan through employment, education, and health initiatives.

“We are creating job opportunities not only through RDMC but also through our extensive network of partner and supplier companies that are coming on board to support this major development,” Bristow said.

“To ensure that local communities are equipped to seize these opportunities, we have launched educational and skills training programmes. Currently, 75 per cent of our workforce is from Balochistan — the majority from District Chagai — and we aim to further strengthen this local representation,” he added.

According to him, besides economic and educational efforts, RDMC has also invested in healthcare services for the region. The Health Clinic and the newly established Mother & Child Health Centre in Humai are providing quality primary care — marking the first time local communities have had access to a specialised maternal facility offering comprehensive pre- and postnatal care for women.

Bristow emphasised that local communities happen to be essential partners in the success of the Reko Diq project. “No meaningful development of this world-class mineral resource can happen without the active involvement and support of the people who live here,” he added.

Chief of Humai village Liaqat Malik, and Par-e-Koh Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman Taj Muhammad expressed appreciation for Bristow’s continued engagement with the community and acknowledged RDMC’s role in bringing progress and new opportunities to Humai through the Reko Diq project. They pledged the community’s full support for the project’s ongoing development.

Mark Bristow was accompanied by key RDMC leadership, including Zarrar Jamali (Country Manager), Ryan Mitchell (General Manager, Reko Diq Site), Woo Lee (Senior Vice President, Head of Government and Corporate Affairs), Ashley Price (Head of Sustainability), and Simon Bottoms (Executive, Mineral Resource Management & Evaluation).