Race for rare minerals brings boom to Tajikistan’s mines

In a labyrinth of tunnels running beneath 4,000-metre peaks, Tajik miners are scrabbling to secure antimony, one of the metals at the centre of a worldwide race for rare minerals.

The silver grey element, once best known as an ingredient in cosmetics, is a key resource in strategic industries — powering the clean energy transition and toughening military equipment.

In Saritag, in the steep valleys of western Tajikistan, the 1,500 employees of mining firm Talco Gold scour some 50 kilometres (30 miles) of underground galleries.

Where once Tajiks sought gold, now they are branching out.

“We are conducting drilling operations to determine what underground mineral resources are present,” explained miner Imomkhasan Yorov, guiding AFP on a rare visit to the huge, remote site.

The miners dril