Reko Diq will benefit Balochistan for generations, says Barrick CEO Mark Bristow

CHAGAI: Barrick Mining Corporation Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow has said that Reko Diq is not just a mining project but an opportunity that will secure economic and social progress for local communities for decades to come. He was speaking to local people during a visit on 14 July 2025 to Hamay village, close to the Reko Diq project.

He reiterated that the Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC) is committed to improving the quality of life of the people of Balochistan through initiatives in employment, education and health.

Mark Bristow said: “We are creating employment opportunities not only through RDMC but also through our wide network of partners and supplier companies. We have started education and skills training programmes so that local people can make full use of these opportunities.”

He said that 75 per cent of RDMC’s workforce currently comes from Balochistan, most of them from Chagai district, and that the company aims to increase this local representation further.

RDMC has also invested in the health sector in the region. The health centre set up in Hamay village and the recently launched mother and child health centre are providing quality basic medical care to local people. This is the first time that women in the area have had access to comprehensive care before and after delivery locally.

Mark Bristow stressed that local communities are key partners in the success of the Reko Diq project. He said: “Mineral resources cannot be developed anywhere in the world unless the people living there are involved and fully support the work.”

Hamay village chief Malik Liaqat Muhammadzai and the chairman of the Pir Koh Community Development Committee (CDC), Taj Muhammad Muhammadzai, praised Mark Bristow’s continued engagement with the local community. They thanked RDMC for bringing development and new opportunities to Hamay through the Reko Diq project. They assured the company of their full support for the continued progress of the project.

Mark Bristow was accompanied by the senior leadership of RDMC, including Country Manager Zarrar Jamali, General Manager (Reko Diq Site) Ryan Mitchell, Senior Vice President (Head of Government and Corporate Affairs) Wu Li, Head of Sustainability Ashley Price, Executive for Mineral Resource Management and Evaluation Simon Bottoms, and other members of the project team.