Yemen’s geology is featured by the diversity of its topographic relief as well as its promising and productive structures. Yemen’s land is covered with rocks whose ages date back to an era prior to the Cambrian. Some Cambrian rocks even date back to a time before that era (that is, about 3 billion years ago). Geologically speaking, Yemen composes part of the Arabian Shield.  

In Yemen, the minerals wealth represents one of the significant and effective means in making Yemen achieve its strategic objectives. Diverting production resources such as oil, minerals would form a financial source to the national income and thus enhance and strengthen the Yemeni economy.  

During the reign of President Ali A. Saleh, the minerals industry experienced great leaps ensuing in stimulating more Yemeni products. Not only that, through attracting foreign investments, advanced technology was adopted domestically.

Historically speaking, since the 1970s, the projects of geological surveys have occupied high priority and were given tangible attention. Consequently a number of geological maps of different scaling were drafted to encompass a number of Yemeni areas. Actually, prior the Reunification of Yemen on May 22, 1990, a geological map was drafted to cover all parts of Yemen with a 1:1,000,000 scale. Following the same scaling, other maps­­–geophysical, topographic, and hydro-geological and mineral­–were designed in 1992. In addition, more detailed maps of 1:250,000 scales were made to cover all of the Republic of Yemen. More thorough maps of 1:1,000,000 scaling were designed to cover certain areas of the Republic. Following that, at the end of 1993, was the drafting of a new map for minerals with a 1:1,000,000 scale. In 1994, a hydro-geological map of the same scaling was made.

Yemen’s Geological Map:

The petroleum exploration and production authority (PEPA) in collaboration with foreign delegations carried out minerals exploratory works. Such activities ensued in defining many metallic and non-metallic ore deposits of high economic indicators. A great deal of information have shown that gold exists with economic significance. Not only that, zinc, lead, silver, copper, nickel, platinum, and iron exist as well. Such indicators are demonstrated by the discovery of old gold and silver mines accompanying zinc and lead. Other signs along with the exploratory works for such minerals are the occurrence of geological factors and structures which, according to regional and international records and models, show the formation of such minerals in Yemen. In addition, there are a lot of ore minerals and industrial rocks of large quantities. Fortunately, such wealth exits in places having the infrastructure and necessary facilities which would facilitate any investment of such ores and, thus, would reduce investment costs. Some of these ores are limestones, gypsum, ziolite, pyrlite, halite (rock salt), feldspar, quartz, industrial muds, silica, talc, granite, marble, basalt, and ignimbrite.

Operating Companies in Yemen:

The outcome of previous minerals projects and geological studies attracted some foreign companies to invest in Yemen. The minerals sector experienced a tangible flow of applicant Arab and foreign companies to search for non-metallic and metallic minerals in Yemen. Although the number of companies rose to 18, some retreated because of the low prices of gold at the international level and some others because of finding no commercial significance in the ores. At the time being, there are ten Arab and foreign companies working in minerals exploration; some of which were able to obtain significantly motivating results. What follows is a list of the companies operating in the minerals domain in Yemen:

High Valley Comp: A Canadian company, it is working in the southern area (Al-Baidha-A’ttaq). It is exploring for gold and basic metallic elements.

Thani Dubai Mining Company: An Emirate firm, it is working in Wadi Miden area, Hadhramout governorate, and Wadi Sherss, and Alhareerah district, Hajjah governorate. It is searching for gold as well.

Three S Minerals: It is a British company working in Yetmoun and Alma'aber areas, Hadhramout governorate in mineralizing limestone rocks.

 Al-Raoudha for Industrial Investment: It is a Hindi firm operating at Yeramess area, A’beyan governorate. It is carrying out studies on feldspar ores.

Yemeni-Saudi Cement Company: In 1998, the company was permitted to carry out exploratory work and to study cement ores at Ba-Tayess area, A’beyan. It is now at the final stages of finishing the project.

The Arab-Yemeni Cement Corporation: It was given the permission to study cement ores at Abdullah Ghareeb area, Hadhramout governorate. The company signed a contract with a Chinese company to construct the factory in two years time.

The Emirate-Middle East Development Company: In 2005, the company was given the permit to study all kinds of ores in Mayfa’a Hijer area, Hadhramout governorate. At the time being, the company is doing its studies.  

Yemen’s Geology

Yemen’s land is covered with rocks whose ages date back to an era prior to the Cambrian. Some Cambrian rocks even date to a time before that era (that is, about 3 billion years ago).  Geologically speaking, Yemen composes part of the Arabian Shield.

Basement Rocks:

Basement rocks are some of the oldest structures dating back to about 3 billion years. Magmata rocks, gneiss and schist rocks represent such structures. These structures appear as belts extending for tens but hundreds of kilometers as ancient areas separating the small sheets which joined together and formed the Arab-African Shield. These rocks spread basically in two areas: the northern-southern area (that is, Sa’adah governorate) and the western-eastern plateau (that is, Ma’reb-Al-Baidha) along with the makashef مكاشف in south of Taiz and east of Almukalla.  

Sedimentary Rocks

The oldest rocks of Yemen’s sedimentary structures go back to the prime Proterozoic Eon of ancient life. Such rocks are represented by Ghaba’er and Gunab groups which have sandstones and limestones. Also the types of the sedimentary rocks­­–the sandstones, limestones and the mudstones–cover big areas forming the surfaces and basins in Yemen. Most of these rocks are of the second and third geological eras. An exception is the sandstones of Wajid and the mudstones of A’kberah, located at the western-northern area of Yemen (that is, Sa’adah); these rocks were formed in the first geological era.

Volcanic Rocks

The formation of the Red Sea’s basin in the third eon was associated with the process of regional uplifting of the western areas of Yemen in the early Eocene Epoch. This was through interval volcanic activities; the highest of which was in the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. Volcanic eruption reoccurred at the beginning of fourth era. Such volcanic operations resulted in the formation of Yemeni volcanics: acid rocks such as rhyolite, Ignimbrite; volcanic glass; and middle and basic rocks like the basalt and andalusite. During the volcanic activities and in the middle of the third eon, there was the formation of overlapped granite structures, injected in different types of rocks; most of which include A’mran group, Altaweelah rock group, the rocks of Yemen’s volcanics and basement rocks.

Industries Based on Minerals Ores

Industrial ores play a prime role in industrial and economic development of Yemen. Such materials have contributed in the construction of many industries; these are as follows: cement manufacturing; red brick construction; concrete bricks production; constructional and ornamental rocks manufacturing; ceramics industry; gypsum and lime furnaces; and other products.

Future Perspective of the Minerals Sector

A number 0f points ought to be considered in this respect. These are

That work should be exerted to improve and prosper the minerals industries so that Yemeni products gain fame and have value. This would contribute to the increase of the overall national income.

·        That training should be granted to Yemeni cadre in all relevant minerals arenas;

·        That legislations and regulations governing minerals activities ought to be improved in order to create a convenient investment climate.

That work should be done to accelerate the construction of a railway which was proposed by the PEPA. The railway should start at the north-west of Yemen, passing through Al-Jawaf-Ma’reb-Shabwah to Beir Ali located at the coast of the Arab Sea where an industrial area is to be constructed. The benefit of this project lies in transporting a lot of minerals ores especially construction and ornamental rocks. Such ores represent the natural wealth which would transform Yemen to top positions at the international level in producing such materials.