Germany today is very developed country with sound economy and the high standard of living. It is rich with natural resources, in Germany oil and gas production, coal, various ores and salts and also non-ferrous metals is carried out.
Oil and gas fields
Today in the territory of Germany many oil and gas fields (130 oil points and about 90 gas) are revealed. Generally these fields are concentrated in the Central part of the European oil and gas bearing basin. The largest fields are located near Zyud-Oldenburg - it is the most perspective and developed area. However oil and gas were found also in east part of Germany, but they make only an insignificant part of the general capacity of the country.
Combustible slates and coal
Germany possesses considerable natural reserves of combustible slates. In Lower Saxony the power of an industrial layer reaches fifteen meters, and the general power of the southwest of the country near the city of Messel is up to 310 meters.
The leading value in extraction of coal in the territory of the country occupies the Nizhnereynsky coal basin. The main difficulty in extraction of this mineral in Germany – very deep water of bedding.
As for brown coal, its fields are concentrated near Cottbus and Dresden, Halle and Leipzig. Average heating value of one kilogram of the brown coal extracted in Germany makes about 10.0 MDzh. It is rather high rate for this area. Coal reserves in Germany are very considerable. Researches show that at preservation of modern rates of operation of fields, they will be enough still approximately for 600 years.
Other ore minerals
According to the conducted researches, uranium reserves in Germany make about five thousand tons. On iron reserves the country takes the fourth place in Europe. In total in Germany 44 fields of iron are revealed, and here reserves of copper ores are very insignificant. Zinc-lead ores are located mainly in Gartsa, Schwarzwald and near the city of Freiberg. In these ores gold, silver, rubidium and indiya, as well as other elements often meet. Silicate fields of nickel ores meet only in the southwest of Saxony, and here on reserves of potash salts Germany ranks third in the world and the first among the countries of Europe. Among other things, Germany has essential reserves of barite and fluorite. The largest fields are located in the Thuringian Forest, Gartsa and Fogtlanda.