The presence of vast mineral wealth will encourage the continuation of chronic intense conflict. And as long as said conflict continues, foreign investment will be very limited, which means it will be very difficult to begin large scale mining operations.
If you were a mining engineer, would you want to travel to Afghanistan and spend a year or two setting up a new mine there?
Conflict in Afghanistan was going to continue until the West left. Would I want to live in Afghanistan to set up a new mine? Depends on how much you paid me. There are already many tens of thousands of private contractors in war zones.
If you were a mining engineer, would you want to travel to Afghanistan and spend a year or two setting up a new mine there?