The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-11-03
PERSIA RICH IN
MINERAL wealth
Natural Resources of Ancient
Country Are Almost
IneStimabIe.
DIFFICULTY OF TRANSPORT
Chief Obstacle in Way Of Develop
ment-various Schemes Already
In Hand for Construction Of
Railway Lines.

Persia are almost inestimable, and VI
to the present the great wealth of thi
ancient country has scarcely beer
touched. The now famous Anglo-Per
sian Oil fields are vivid example o.
what can be done when the necessary
enterprise and capital are forthcoming
The large area over which this com
pany possesses the rights of working
contains an almost inexhaustible sup
ply of oil.
There Is at least one other Oil field
In Persia waiting to be exploited. A
few Baku experts have known for
some time Of the existence of oil In
the northeastern part of the country.
This district is judged to be exceed
ingly rich in oil-bearing strata and is
situated close to the southeastern
shore Of the Caspian sea.
Beyond any doubt, says the London
Times, the plateau of Persia is ex-
tremely rich i'm mineral wealth, but
the question has been how to work it,
owing to the difficulty Of transport.
In the past reliance has had to be
placed on mules and camels, whose
loads cannot possibly exceed 400 or
500 pounds. This being SO, the inn
portation of the necessary heavy ma
chinery has been altogether out of the
question, and as result the greater
part of Persia's rich mineral wealth
lies dormant.
Precious Metals.
Seventy miles or SO to the north OF
Isfahan is a disused gold mine that
was originally worked by the Persians
themselves. The ore was extracted in
crude and antiquated way and then
carried to Teheran on the backs OF
mules, a distance of over 200 miles.
There the gold was extracted by some
process, and as the prof
its only covered the expenses the mine
was ultimately closed down. With
modern methods and up-todate ma
chinery on the spot such venture
should prove very paying concern.
Gold dust is found in various parts
Of Persia, principally in the river beds,
but not in any great quantity, with
perhaps one exception. 1t is regularly
brought into the Kermanshah bazaar
for sale, but from exactly where has
so far been kept a secret.
Lead and silver are both to be
found in quantities that would pay for
the working.
In considering the mineral wealth
Of the country, copper undoubtedly
takes the most important place. Persia
Is full of copper, but so far has not |
attracted foreign capital, because OF
the import and export difficulties that
have had to be commended with in the
past In spite Of these many draw
backs, at least one mine is being
worked locally.
A little to the north of Isfahan, In
he Nantaz mountains, is large seam
If copper To mine such a rich de-
3osit would assuredly pay. The Ker-
nan district aboundS in copper, and
n the judgment of mining engineer
Who has visited the neighborhood any
operations seriously undertaken would
EASILY repay the necessary capital in
rested.
Coal and Transport.
Should financiers be ready to en-
,ark on such a venture as the exploita-
ion Of Persian mines, the question OF
10Th coal and transport would have
O be seriously considered. Fortunate
Y coal does exist in many parts of
he country and is at present being
worked in at least two localities. The
district of Kumisheh is especially rich
n this mineral, and quite recently it
las been discovered in the Curdish
fountains bordering on the Bagdad-
1amadOn road.
The difficulty of transport is rap
dly being overcome. Already there
re various schemes in hand for the
obstruction Of railways; in fact, quite
good start has been made. The re-
ent operations in both the north and
he south of Persia have shown the
Dads to be quite suitable for heavy
rotor traffic, consequently the impor-
alton of heavy machinery ought not
} prove very serious obstacle.
In normal times the Persian laborer
paid from IL to 16 cents Omitted
tates) a day. A slight advance in
ay would insure the necessary labor,
specially if it should prove perma-
ent. 1t is not difficult to prophesy
lat before many years have passed
ersia will prove to be one of the
lining countries of the world.