Faiza Tehseen

Tapping into indigenous nitrogen sources can help Pakistan save precious foreign exchange spent on imports. The local industry will also benefit from low-cost raw materials, reducing production costs.

“Geological sources of nitrogen exist in Pakistan, and systematic exploration and processing can be conducted through research and development,” said Abdul Bashir, chief geologist with Koh-e-Daleel Minerals Private Limited, an exploration firm based in Balochistan. In an interview with WealthPK, he said: “Though nitrogen-bearing minerals are fairly uncommon, fortunately, Pakistan has abundant minerals rich in nitrogen. These include nitratine (sodium nitrate), nitrobarite (barium nitrate), nitrammite (ammonium nitrate), nitromagnesite, and nitrocalcite. Both rock-forming and land resources containing these minerals are found across Pakistan.” He explained that nitrogen concentrations in granites range from trace levels (200mg N kg −1), while in some sedimentary and meta-sedimentary rocks, this concentration may exceed 1,000mg N kg −1. Accumulated nitrogen deposits in the country’s arid and semi-arid regions can also be potential sources.

In Balochistan, both granitic and basalt rocks occur in Wad, Khuzdar, Muslim Bagh, Zhob, Ras-Koh, and Chagai. These rocks are also found in the Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Bashir said: “Nitrogen can be deposited in igneous rocks anywhere due to hydro-thermal water. In basalt rocks, it is usually less than 0.01%. Typically, nitrogen is extracted from rocks using an elemental analyzer through pyrolysis at 960°C, followed by the removal of organic nitrogen by heating the powdered rock at about 550°C.” He noted that nitrogen is primarily used to make ammonia, which is then used in manufacturing explosives, fertilizers, and packaging food items to inhibit bacterial growth. “Nitrogen enhances the shelf life of packaged food items, prevents the oxidation of products and materials during manufacturing, and is also used to produce nylon, nitric acid, and dyes. It is utilized in laser cutting, power plants, heat treatment, pharmaceuticals, tire inflation, and printing.” Bashir added: “Nitrogen is widely used in the chemical industry.

It reduces the volume of liquid samples and is commonly used during sample preparation for chemical analysis. In metal fabrication, industrial-grade nitrogen (ranging from 95% to 99.5% purity) is used for inserting, purging, or blanketing. In the electronics sector, nitrogen is used for cleaning and cooling during manufacturing. It is important for avoiding or eradicating the risk of fire, combustion, or explosion.” He emphasized that extracting different chemicals and gases from geological sources in Pakistan is feasible, but requires the focus of policymakers and coordination among relevant departments. This will lead the country toward financial independence and make the mineral sector more sustainable. Imran Babar, a miner and geologist, told WealthPK: “Extracting different chemicals and gases from mineral sources in Pakistan is a new subject for local miners and industrialists. It is important to attract the attention of investors and raise awareness. Exploiting nitrogen sources will provide the domestic industry with low-cost raw materials, reducing production costs.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk