Pakistan’s largest operating copper and gold mine has warned that it may have to suspend operations within a month if worsening security conditions in Balochistan continue to disrupt the supply of essential materials, according to the Financial Times.

The report said the managing director of Saindak Metals Limited, the state-owned company overseeing the project, wrote to the Ministry of Energy on June 29, warning that deteriorating law and order conditions have severely affected the transportation of critical supplies to the mine.

According to the letter, continued disruptions to cargo movements could make it impossible to maintain uninterrupted operations.

Located in Chagai district, the Saindak Copper-Gold Project has been operated since 2001 by China’s state-owned Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) under a joint venture with Saindak Metals Limited. The project’s operating lease was extended by 15 years in 2022, and most of its copper production is exported to China.

The warning comes as Pakistan seeks to attract large-scale mining investment in Balochistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Financial Times reported that people familiar with the project said deteriorating security has made road access to the mine increasingly dangerous, raising concerns not only for Saindak but also for the nearby Reko Diq project.

Earlier this year, Barrick Mining reportedly delayed parts of its $9 billion Reko Diq development while assessing regional security risks and supply chain challenges.

The government has repeatedly said it remains committed to protecting foreign investment and has stepped up security operations against militant groups active in Balochistan.