QUETTA: CEO of Barrick Mining Corporation, Mark Bristow, has reaffirmed the Reko Diq Mining Company’s (RDMC) commitment to empowering local communities in Balochistan through focused efforts in employment, education, and healthcare.
During a visit to Humai village, located near the Reko Diq project site, Mr. Bristow highlighted the company’s growing impact. “We are creating job opportunities not only through RDMC, but also through a wide network of partner and supplier companies joining us to support this landmark development,” he stated.
Bristow added that RDMC has already launched skills and education programmes aimed at building local capacity. “Currently, 75% of our workforce is from Balochistan, with most belonging to the Chagai district. Our goal is to further strengthen this representation as the project advances.”
Beyond jobs and education, RDMC is also investing in essential health services. A new health clinic and a Mother & Child Health Centre have been established in Humai — the first of their kind in the region. These facilities are now delivering primary care and maternal health services, including pre- and postnatal care for women in surrounding communities.
The Reko Diq project, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, is seen as a long-term driver of socio-economic transformation in Balochistan. RDMC’s leadership emphasized that empowering local communities is at the core of the project’s mission.