Solution Mining

In 2010, Al-Fajr International hired Ercosplan group of companies as technical consultants for its services and consultation related to solution ‘salt’ mining. Solution mining is responsible for extracting 60% of the salt world wide, however, no such project has ever been attempted in Pakistan's commercial sector. Solution mining employs the use of boreholes to inject water into the salt mine (an underground cavern) which then dissolves the salt. The resulting brine is then pumped out and supplied via pipes to the desired location, saving transport costs and minimizing labor cost as well as making it a continuous process as opposed to conventional mining. Furthermore this is an environmentally clean process that does not evolve blasting / explosives or machine digging for the extraction itself. This is a long term setup for Al-Fajr Salts International which will be functional in a couple of years. This salt solution will be transported to ICI, Pakistan, Al-Fajr’s long term client in conventional mining, at their plant at Khwera. ICI has already signed an agreement with Al-Fajr International, where AFI will provide the client with a specific amount of brine. This project will also bring about a new mining culture in Pakistan and we expect it to be a trendsetter. There are a lot of salt, coal, gold, copper and other reserves in Pakistan that have yet to be surveyed or mined at a higher level. By using this innovative approach, our company hopes to bring about a change in mining in Pakistan.