1. Oil & Gas Petroleum oil and natural gas is the driving force
behind many economies in the continent. Without it
many countries would be in a not-so-good position
economically and also socially. Countries such as
Nigeria, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Ghana and Liberia lead the pack of the countries with big reserves of oil and natural gas.

2. Gold Gold is the most mined resource in Africa. It
accounts for approximately 21% of the World total.
Gold which ranks among the top 10 most valuable
minerals in the world is mined in several countries.
These include South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana,
Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and many other countries. South Africa is largest producer in the
world and also the strongest economy in the
continent.
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3. Diamonds African countries greatly contribute to the world’s
share of natural diamonds. It accounts for
approximately 46% of the global production. The
precious stone which features among the top 5
most valuable minerals has contributed to
improved GDP and per Capita income in many regions. Top producers comprise of Sierra Leone,
Tanzania, Botswana and DRC (Democratic Republic
of Congo). Botswana accounts for 22% while the
DRC caters for 20% of the total output.
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4. Copper Although it only accounts for about 6% of the
production in the World, copper as a mineral forms
the backbone of many economies in the African
continent. Zambia is the top producer in the
continent. It is ranked as the 5th top producer in
the entire world. Other countries that rely on the mineral include DRC and Guinea.
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5. Coal Large deposits of coal are found in Africa. This
essential mineral is used in industries for heating.
Also, it is used in production of electricity in many
regions worldwide. Top producers in the region
include South Africa, Egypt, Mozambique,
Botswana, Malawi, Niger, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. In Tanzania it exists
alongside Natural Gas in Songosongo mines.
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6. Platinum –Group Metals Africa ranks among the top two producers of
Platinum and its related metals such as palladium.
Its overall productions cater for about 75% of the
world’s output. The leading producer in the
continent is South Africa whose total outputs
accounts for almost 96% of Africa’s total. Other producers include Zimbabwe that is placed second
after South Africa.
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7. Uranium Many African countries also depend on Uranium.
This mineral is used in many applications. However,
the most known is enriching fuel used in nuclear
power plants. As of 2013, the output from Africa
accounted for about 17% of the World’s total. South
Africa, Niger and Namibia are main producers. Namibia is the top producer in Africa and the 4th
largest in the world. Its production stands at 30%.
Niger is second in Africa (27%) and 5th globally.
South Africa takes the third position in the
continent.
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8. Aluminium The total amount of Aluminium produced in Africa
contributes 5% of the global production. The
production has being increasing overtime as new
discoveries are made. Furthermore, additional
smelters are added to boost production. The top
producer in the region is South Africa taking 48% of the African total. Mozambique comes second
with 32%, while Egypt accounts for 14%.Other
producers include Cameroon and Ghana.
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9. Bauxite Bauxite holds a special place in the economy of
Guinea. It is one of the main earners of foreign
exchange. The country has very large reserves that
account for about 8% of the world’s output.
Besides the Bauxite, the quality of iron-ore
produced at the various mines is also ranked among the best globally.
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10. Iron and Steel Many economies in Africa depend on their iron and
steel reserves. The ore is either refined locally or
exported to overseas market. The main market is
Asia more so China. Europe is the other market.
Countries that top the list of the largest producers
include South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, and Libya. The above list completes the 10 African minerals of highest economic value. While it is true that they
contribute largely to the GDP (Gross Domestic
Product) and per Capita Income, they have also
brought a lot of political, social and economic
instability in many regions. This has led to lots of
bloodshed in certain regions such as Congo, Nigeria, Angola, Sudan and many other countries.
Source:www.answersafrica.com/african-minerals.html

Our "oyel" is still number 1.
thank God for the South South of Nigeria...

Yet nothing to show for it

7up I know, fanta I know, Mountain dew I know, which mineral is gold,silver, diamond?