The original locality for lapis lazuli is the Sar-e-Sang deposit in Afghanistan's remote Badakhshan district. In the Achaemenid period, azure was called "Kabutkeh". In the Sassanid period, azure was consumed a lot. The roof of Ctesiphon, as well as various sculptures, is made of azure; it is possible that they used azurite instead of azure in making these works. 

Following the development of the Haber-Bosch process, ammonia production rapidly expanded. Ammonia became a key component in the production of nitrogen-based fertilizers, contributing to increased agricultural yields and food production. Additionally, ammonia found applications in various industries, including chemicals, refrigeration, cleaning products, and more.

In 2010, US Pentagon officials, along with US geologists, uncovered approximately $ 1 trillion in untapped mineral reserves in Afghanistan. A Pentagon note says Afghanistan could become Saudi Arabia's lithium. Some believe that intact minerals are worth up to $ 3 trillion.