Africa has the largest reserves of precious metals in the world

The African continent has the largest reserves of precious metals in the world with over 40% of the gold reserves, over 60% of the cobalt, and 90% of the platinum reserves.
African mineral reserves rank first or second for bauxite, cobalt, diamonds, phosphate rocks, platinum-group metals (PGM), vermiculite, and zirconium. Many other minerals are present in quantity. The 2005 share of world production from African soil was bauxite 9%; aluminium 5%; chromite 44%; cobalt 57%; copper 5%; gold 21%; iron ore 4%; steel 2%; lead (Pb) 3%; manganese 39%; zinc 2%; cement 4%; natural diamond 46%; graphite 2%; phosphate rock 31%; coal 5%; mineral fuels (including coal) & petroleum 13%; uranium 16%.

As of 2005, strategic minerals and key producers were:
    Diamonds: 46% of the world, divided as Botswana 35%; Congo (DRC) 34%; South Africa 17%; Angola, 8%.
    Gold: 21% of the world, divided as South Africa 56%; Ghana, 13%; Tanzania, 10%; and Mali, 8%.
    Uranium: 16% of the world, divided as Namibia 46%; Niger 44%; South Africa less than 10%.
    Bauxite (for aluminium): 9% of the world, divided as Guinea 95%; Ghana 5%.
    Steel: 2% of the world, divided as South Africa 54%; Egypt 32%; Libya 7%; Algeria 6%.
    Aluminium: 5% of the world, divided as South Africa 48%; Mozambique 32%; Egypt 14%.
    Copper (mine/refined): 5%/ of the world, divided as Zambia 65%/77%; South Africa 15%/19%; Congo (DRC) 13%/0%; Egypt 0%/3%.
    Platinum/Palladium: 62% of the world, divided as South Africa 97%/96%.
    Coal: 5% of the world, divided as South Africa 99%.