The Spatial Distribution of Certain Natural Minerals in the Soils of Basrah Governorate and the Potential for Their Investment

Abstract

Natural minerals constitute one of the fundamental pillars of development when they are properly utilized and invested, as they provide hard currency that revitalizes the national economy and contribute to progress and balance in consumption. From this standpoint, the study aimed to identify certain types of natural minerals and their spatial variation in order to invest in them for the revitalization of the local economy and to avoid dependence on a single mineral resource.

The distribution of natural minerals varied across the districts of Basrah Governorate; however, some districts ranked higher than others in terms of concentration and spread. Al-Qurnah, Shatt al-Arab, and Al-Faw ranked first in gold concentration; Al-Qurnah, Al-Zubair, and Shatt al-Arab in silver concentration; and platinum recorded its highest concentration in Al-Qurnah, Al-Zubair, and Al-Faw. Rhodium was most widely distributed in Safwan, Shatt al-Arab, and Al-Faw, while aluminum recorded its highest concentration in Al-Faw, Shatt al-Arab, and Al-Qurnah. Thorium was recorded equally in Al-Qurnah and Shatt al-Arab, followed by Al-Faw and Safwan, whereas strontium reached its highest concentration in Al-Zubair, Safwan, and Basrah.

The study also showed that Al-Faw, Shatt al-Arab, and Al-Qurnah had the widest distribution of copper and nickel, while lead was concentrated in Shatt al-Arab, Al-Qurnah, and Al-Zubair. Iron was widely distributed in Al-Faw, Shatt al-Arab, and Al-Qurnah. Uranium, by contrast, was distributed across Basrah Governorate as a whole with equal concentration, while cesium showed a broad distribution in Shatt al-Arab, Al-Qurnah, and Al-Faw. Mercury was most widely distributed in Al-Qurnah, Shatt al-Arab, Safwan, and Basrah.