Algeria: Minerals

Although the mineral wealth of Algeria is enormous, mining operations have not hitherto been carried on very extensively. The most important mineral products are iron, copper, lead, mercury, and antimony. During 1868 the iron mines in the province of Constantine turned out about 240,000 tons of ore, valued at £486,672, being an increase of £185,532 as compared with the preceding year. Nearly the whole of this was from the mine of Ain Mokra or Makhta-el-Hadid, which yields on an average 200,000 tons of ore per annum. The ore contains 65 per cent of the metal. Lead ore to the value of £125,745 was exported during that year.





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