Though the country planned to export different minerals worth $528 million, the country has only got $30 million achieving only 5% of its target, according to the latest report New Business Ethiopia received from the Ministry of Trade. Other than gold, which is the major export mineral of the country, some of export minerals of Ethiopia include sapphire, opal, tantalum, emerald, gemstones, marble, and other metallic and non-metallic minerals. There are three well-known types of sapphire in Ethiopia namely, Blue star sapphire, fancy sapphire and the ‘colour-changing’ sapphire. Northern greenstone beltsThe most promising discovery in this greenstone belt is the Terakimiti prospect where trenching and drilling has revealed grades of up to 16 grams a ton. Southern greenstone beltsThere are already two gold mines in the Southern greenstone belt.

Source: Ethiopian News January 31, 2019 16:18 UTC