The award of a 30-year contract to a Chinese consortium to exploit the Aynak copper mine in Logar province came under particular criticism.

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Under Plan B, a hole is being drilled at a roughly 80-degree angle into an area of the mine shaft that is used as a mechanical workshop.

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Another challenge, Denbow said, is that when companies find higher ore-grade deposits, they are often far under the ground, making them more difficult and more dangerous to mine.

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One afternoon the head wrangler Dave and I huddled under a couple of pine trees while hail beat down on our hats -- his more weather-beaten than mine -- and our horses' manes.

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