Minerals

Middle East natural resources reveal a hidden map of abundance and scarcity

The smaller resource base has pushed both countries to lean harder into non-oil sectors such as finance, logistics, and tourism.

A general view shows the Awad oil field in the eastern Qamishli countryside in northeastern Syria, on February 15, 2026; illustrative
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a tea ceremony with Russian President Vladimir Putin following their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 20, 2026.

At G7 Summit, world leaders tackle reliance on China for critical minerals

ILLUSTRATIVE: A WORKER carries sacks of rice inside a warehouse at a wholesale market in Navi Mumbai, India, January 13, 2026.

India expands Africa push with rice aid, long-term mineral ambitions

Tomato paste

The mineral important for blood pressure: Could you be consuming too much of it?


Researchers find meter-high mineral chimneys in the Dead Sea, a potential sinkhole warning

These chimneys resemble hydrothermal chimneys discovered in oceanic ridges, but "the system is completely different," according to Dr. Christian Siebert.

 Meter-high mineral chimneys. The Dead Sea, Israel.