▁des ▁M ines ▁et ▁de ▁la ▁Gé ologie ▁was ▁the ▁entity ▁responsible ▁for ▁prom oting ▁the ▁min eral ▁sector ▁and ▁for ▁providing ▁ge olog ic ▁and ▁min ing ▁information ▁to ▁potential ▁invest ors ; ▁the ▁D irection ▁des ▁H ydro car b ures ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁pet role um ▁sector ; ▁and ▁the ▁Office ▁Maur itan ien ▁des ▁Re cher ches ▁Gé olog iques ▁was ▁the ▁Government ▁entity ▁responsible ▁for ▁evalu ating ▁areas ▁of ▁min eral ▁potential ▁for ▁expl oration . ▁Société ▁N ationale ▁Indust ri elle ▁et ▁M ini ère ▁( SN IM ) ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁iron ▁ore ▁production ▁and ▁benef ci ation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁total ▁value ▁of ▁exports ▁from ▁Maur it ania ▁was ▁estimated ▁to ▁be ▁about ▁$ 1 . 5 ▁billion . ▁Ex cluding ▁fish ▁exports , ▁which ▁amount ed ▁to ▁$ 2 5 4 ▁million , ▁all ▁the ▁main ▁export ▁categories ▁were ▁either ▁min ing ▁or ▁hydro car bon ▁products . ▁Iron ▁ore ▁exports , ▁which ▁were ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 5 7 5 ▁million , ▁represented ▁about ▁ 3 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁country ’ s ▁total ▁exports ; ▁cru de ▁oil ▁exports ▁were ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 3 3 9 ▁million ▁and ▁account ed ▁for ▁ 2 3 %; ▁co pper ▁exports ▁were ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 1 8 4 ▁million ▁and ▁account ed ▁for ▁about ▁ 1 3 %; ▁and ▁gold ▁exports ▁were ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 5 9 ▁million ▁and ▁account