Countries with plenty mineral wealth buried beneath the surface
Traditionally we look at the oil-rich countries as the wealthiest, or at least those with an abundance of resources that the rest of the world both needs and wants. When it comes to mineral wealth, things are not as easy to define. Many minerals are in demand because they are pretty and people like pretty things, simplistic but true. Sure, there are uses to some minerals, but often the most valuable minerals are those that people want to place on their wrist, neck or head, or use to gold plate their private jet.
Let’s take a look at some of those countries that are the richest when it comes to minerals. Remember these minerals are only worth something once they are extracted.
It’s been reported that South Africa has $2.5 trillion in mineral reserves. They produce the most platinum in the world and are amongst the leaders in the production of gold, diamonds, coal and base metals. The irony about South Africa’s wealth is, that in addition to the millions of people living below the bread line, in 2010 they were ranked 5th in the production of coal. Yet, despite this abundance of coal, they still endure regular load shedding (power cuts).
So there you are, a bunch of countries with a bunch of good minerals buried deep beneath the earth’s surface, but only worth a fortune once extracted. We haven’t even touched on the oil wealth of countries, that’s for another time. Once these minerals are out of the ground it’s up to the processing specialists to make them really worth something.
Let’s take a look at some of those countries that are the richest when it comes to minerals. Remember these minerals are only worth something once they are extracted.
- South Africa
It’s been reported that South Africa has $2.5 trillion in mineral reserves. They produce the most platinum in the world and are amongst the leaders in the production of gold, diamonds, coal and base metals. The irony about South Africa’s wealth is, that in addition to the millions of people living below the bread line, in 2010 they were ranked 5th in the production of coal. Yet, despite this abundance of coal, they still endure regular load shedding (power cuts).
- Russia
- Australia
- Ukraine
- Guinea
- USA
- China
- Brazil
So there you are, a bunch of countries with a bunch of good minerals buried deep beneath the earth’s surface, but only worth a fortune once extracted. We haven’t even touched on the oil wealth of countries, that’s for another time. Once these minerals are out of the ground it’s up to the processing specialists to make them really worth something.