Extractive legitimacy under non-recognition: mining and sovereignty under the second Taliban rule in Afghanistan since 2021

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have placed mineral development at the centre of their economic and diplomatic agenda, presenting mining contracts, especially those with Chinese firms, as tangible proof of governing capacity and future prosperity. This paper examines whether and how mining contributes to political legitimacy under conditions of international non-recognition. Focusing on two resource regions – Mes Aynak in Logar province and gold mining sites in Badakhshan – the study draws on qualitative interviews with local residents, traders, former officials and actors connected to the mining economy, alongside analysis of contractual negotiations and official statements. The findings show that large-scale extraction remains uneven and, in some cases, limited in material output. However, mining agreements and exploratory projects play a significant political role. In Mes Aynak, renewed engagement with Chinese investors functions as a diplomatic signal and performance of economic governance. In Badakhshan, control over gold extraction enables restructuring of local authority networks, revenue flows and territorial administration. Rather than treating extractivism solely as an economic project, I argue that mining operates as a technology of rule through which the Taliban consolidate authority, manage strategic regions and project claims to sovereign governance despite limited international recognition.