This came during a meeting at the premises of the Council of Ministers Thursday with the Minister of Minerals Prof. Hashem Ali Salim, who explained, in statements to the press, that the meeting touched on the plan of the ministry for the economic embargo post-lifting period, revealing that there are a number of Australian, Turkish and US companies have to invest in mineral sector in the country.

The minister said that his ministry`s plan aims to stop the use of mercury by 2020, explaining that the ministry has opened an area of 50,000 square kilometers for European companies desiring to work in the field of mineral exploration in the country.