Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab reviewed preparations for Egypt's 'Golden Triangle' project, which aims to take advantage of the country's under-tapped mineral resources and develop Upper Egypt.

Mahlab chaired Tuesday a meeting on the Golden Triangle project with the participation of all cabinet members, the governors of Qena and Red Sea and the heads of the agencies of urban planning, industrial development and mineral wealth.

Representatives from the Italian consultancy D'Appolonia - which won a bid to prepare a study on the 'Golden Triangle' project- also attended the meeting.

Mahlab called for holding a conference of university professors and scholars to make use of their proposals concerning the project.

The Golden Triangle project is the second largest developmental project run by the government.

The project aims to create new industrial and mining projects on 6,000 square kilometres extending from the Red Sea cities of Safaga and Al Qusayr to Eastern Qena in Upper Egypt.

The proposed projects for the Golden Triangle developmental project include mining projects, such as using phosphate ore and constructing fertiliser factories. Other projects will utilise raw materials to manufacture cement from clay and limestone and produce gasoline from oil-based clay.

The project also entails tapping into agricultural lands in Qena governorate and constructing a number of touristic resorts in Dendara, Laqeta, and Qena Valley. It will also develop resorts and tourist villages between the Safaga and Al Qusayr areas.