Industrial minerals are not the first natural resources people associate with Iraq, but they could play a significant role in diversifying its economy from oil and gas.
While the troubled Middle Eastern state hosts the world’s fourth largest proven reserves of oil, the government is keen to exploit its largely-untapped and diverse mineral reserves.
During September’s Iraq Mining 2011 conference in London, the US Geological Survey (USGS), along with its Iraqi counterpart Geosurv, revealed the results of an in-depth study into the country’s resources.
Most notably, Iraq was found to have the world’s second largest phosphate rock reserves after Morocco, along with significant sulphur, limestone, high-purity silica sand and salt deposits.
The growing construction industry is poised to drive a wave of new supply opportunities for domestic mineral production, according to Iraqi ministers.
As part of the reconstruction effort, the Iraq government...