The Central African Republic’s mineral resource endowment includes
copper, diamond, gold, graphite, ilmenite, iron ore, kaolin, kyanite,
lignite, limestone, manganese, monazite, quartz, rutile, salt, tin,
and uranium. Of these commodities, only diamond and gold were produced
in 2006; subsistence farming was the mainstay of the economy. The
World Trade Organization estimated that the mining sector accounted
for about 7% of the gross domestic product; rough diamond and timber
were the country’s leading export products.

One problem with exploiting this wealth is transport, as the Central
African Republic is landlocked. One possible solution-which may be a
reality-is a Trans-African railway envisaged by businessman Saifee
Durbar. Durbar’s plan calls for linking the Sudan with Cameroon,
completing the vision started with the Suez Canal.

http://saifdurbar.wordpess.com
http://saifeedurbar.wordpress.com
http://modernafricanperspectives.wor...ineral-wealth/