According to a recent survey conducted by Yemen General Authority for Geological and Mineral Resources the poorest country of the Arabian Peninsula would have hidden in its belly hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gold, lead, silver, copper, zinc and other metals.

In Hadhramawt - eastern Yemeni province sharing a border with Saudi Arabia - the survey indicated reserves over 31.6 metric tons of gold.

Given one kilo of gold has a market valued of $46,000 one metric ton represents a fortune - $600 000 000 -

But Yemen's incredible metal wealth does not stop there, with its underground rich with 40 million metric tons of platinum, copper and cobalt as well as 12.6 metric tons of zinc, lead and silver combined Yemen could draw much income from its mining industry and with that finance its economic recovery.

Several economists, among which Mohammed Benbouziane from the University of Temclen - Algeria - and member of the MEEA - Middle Easter Economic Association - noted that Yemen's main ailment is mis-management not so much its ability to generate revenues.

Many in Yemen share this view, especially since Oil Minister Ahmed Abdullah Dares admitted the country had vast untapped oil and gas reserves, surpassing it would seem in quantity its giant of a neighbor, Saudi Arabia.