Islamabad (TDI): Finland’s Metso Corporation has signaled expanding its investments in Pakistan’s mineral sector, moving beyond its existing role in the Reko Diq copper‑gold project in Balochistan.
In a meeting with Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, a Finnish delegation including Hanna Ripatti – the Finnish Ambassador and the President of Metso, Piia Karhu, discussed new investment pathways.
Malik praised Pakistan’s ongoing economic reforms, framing them as a move away from “primitive mining practices toward modern, mechanized, and responsible mining.”
Metso already has already a leading supplier role in Reko Diq mining project. In 2024, it signed a €200 million framework agreement for equipment deliveries to the greenfield copper‑gold mine, with the first tranche of orders being €100 million.
Upcoming orders include flotation cells, thickeners, filters, regrind mills and automation systems. The project is expected to operate as a 40‑year open pit mine, processing some 90 million tons per annum, with a target production start in 2028.
Read More: Pakistan Petroleum Join Hands With Finland’s Metso
In recent months, Metso has also deepened its presence in Pakistan in other ways. In July 2025, it signed a distribution agreement with Greaves Pakistan, to locally supply and service crushing and screening equipment, parts, and operational support.
Further, earlier in 2025, it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), formalizing collaboration in exploration, technology transfer, capacity building, and feasibility work across Pakistan.
Karhu affirmed that Metso aims not just to supply equipment but also to invest in training the local workforce, aligning with Pakistan’s priorities in sustainable development and skill enhancement.
She further disclosed plans to establish a corporate office in Pakistan once legal and regulatory frameworks are finalized.
State Minister Bilal Azhar Kayani noted the importance of rail connectivity, via ML‑1 and ML‑3 lines, to support Reko Diq’s logistics, with feasibility work expected by mid‑2026 and a ground‑breaking also slated that year.
Metso’s global expertise in mineral processing, combined with local partnerships and transfer of technological know‑how, could help catalyze a shift in Pakistan’s mining sector from extraction toward higher value addition.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
