Minerals

. Palestine was not especially rich in minerals. Limestone crust, dolomite, chalk, and needle-shaped limestone rock constitute the predominant mountain soil there. Only in Bashan was there predominantly a basaltic mountain formation, and copper ore was found in Lebanon. The surroundings of Palestine have rock salt, sulfur, and asphalt, which is found in especially large quantities on the southern side of the Dead Sea. Near Jericho there are sulfur mines, and in Lebanon, besides copper mines, there are found rather large iron mines.