According to the Zhob district gazetteer (1906), asbestos, coal, salt and saltpetre were found in the district. However, the Directorate of Mineral development has reported that presently chromite and magnesite are being mined in Killa Saifullah district while prospecting licenses have been issued for mining of asbestos, gabro and granite. The Directorate has also indicated deposits of soapstone and limestone and occurrence of calcite, manganese and coal. However, a detailed geological survey is needed to explore other minerals which may be present in the mountainous terrain of Killa Saifullah district.

According to the Directorate of Mineral Development’s record, there were 237 employees working in chromite mines and 24 working in the magnesite mine in 1994. However, the actual number of labourer might be more than the given because the lease owners do not report the exact number of labourer in order to evade social security contribution.

It is reported by the Directorate of Mineral Development that 13 mining leases have been issued for chromite and one for magnesite up to December 1995. Chromite mining is underway in Muslim Bagh area and the total deposits of chromite are estimated as one million tonnes. Magnesite is being mined out in Nasai area and the deposits are estimated to 0.04 million tonnes. In addition to these leases, 14 prospecting licences for chromite, 5 for magnesite, and one each for asbestos, gabro and granite have been issued by the Directorate. The largest estimated deposits are found for asbestos but for unknown reason its exploitation is minimal.

At present role of the provincial government in mining is limited to licensing and leasing while mining, processing and transportation of minerals is handled by the private sector. The federal government can play an important role in this regard through the Geological Survey of Pakistan by exploring the hidden minerals.

There may be great mineral potential in the district which needs to be explored and exploited. At present some minerals are being mined in the district but this activity is not very beneficial for the people in Killa Saifullah district. The district earns some money as octroi and only a few local workers are employed in the mining sector. The majority of the mining labourers comes from the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP), leaving little room for local labour. This may be compensated by establishing mineral processing units in the district. A proposal for a chromite purification plant was prepared in 1972 costing 0.7 million rupees but no action has yet been taken in this regard.