Industrial minerals and rocks of Albania

Albania forms part of the Mediterranean Alpine tectonic belt. It contains well-preserved ophiolitic sequences, in thrust sheets, with schists and sedimentary rocks. Other parts of the country have major flysch, carbonate and molasse sediments. There are numerous industrial mineral resources, which prior to 1990 supported Albania's metallurgical and other industries. Resources include: chromite, vanadiferous titanium ores, olivine, asbestos, kaolin, talc, magnesite, serpentine, volcanic glass and chert in ophiolites; feldspar, quartz and acid tuffs in granitic rocks; and limestone, dolomite, gypsum and alabaster, halite, diatomite, silica sand, phosphorite, and bitumen and asphaltic sands in sedimentary rocks. There are abundant potential sources of dimension stone. Resources of aggregates are large. Major investment is required to develop these industrial mineral resources.