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From: hbokure@aol.com
Date: Mon Jan 17 2011 - 02:56:55 EST
Dear Friends,
In mid forties an Egyptian geologist conducted a field study on Eritrean topography or landscape in fulfillment of his doctoral thesis which was compiled into a full-blown book. According to his discovery, Eritrea was a volcanic country whose frozen chain of mountains endowed with an abundance of huge basalt rocks (Selim 'imni). Furthermore, he pointed out the presence of potential mineral deposits across the country. This is really proved in accordance with the report submitted to the United Nations by the members of political parties of the late forties who were in favor of Eritrea independence. It shows the presence of mineral deposits including petroleum and mineral water as the following:-
Gold:- 15 sites. Mostly in Gash Barka, and Central zone (kebessa).
Iron:- 1 site. Near Massawa.
Marble:- 4 sites. Gash Barka and near Massawa.
Potassium:- 1 site. Asab area (Denkel).
Sulphur:- 1 site. Asab area (Denkel).
Salt:- 3 sites. Massawa and Asab area.
Mica:- 4 sites. Three of which are in Barka area and one in Massawa area.
Petroleum:- Offshore possibly Dahalk Islands area.
Mineral Water:- 4 sites. One in Dongolo and three around adi Keyih and Adi Uegri area (Southern Zone).
Copper:- 1 site. Dbarwa.
Source:-
Eritrea: Presente a messieurs les delegues des nations unies.
The sad story is the Italian technology of the late forties was not sophisticated enough to extract the mineral resources of our country. Even though they had blue prints which hastily transported via air lift as their tragic defeat by allied troops was imminent. They are now housed as classified documents in their library archives in Rome. I hope our future Eritrean scientists will explore untapped mineral resources in a country that we dearly love and care. Who knows that even diamond and uranium would ultimately discovered. For all of this, not mineral or oil, but our human resource plus our strong defense system will determine the course and progress of our country.
Haile