% ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁natural ▁van illa . ▁Other ▁key ▁agricult ural ▁resources ▁include ▁coffee , ▁ly che es ▁and ▁sh rim p . ▁Key ▁min eral ▁resources ▁include ▁various ▁types ▁of ▁pre cious ▁and ▁semi - pre cious ▁stones , ▁and ▁Mad agas car ▁currently ▁provides ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁supply ▁of ▁sa pp h ires , ▁which ▁were ▁discovered ▁near ▁I lak aka ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁ ▁Mad agas car ▁has ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁res erves ▁of ▁il men ite ▁( t itan ium ▁ore ), ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁important ▁res erves ▁of ▁chrom ite , ▁coal , ▁iron , ▁c ob alt , ▁co pper ▁and ▁nick el . ▁Several ▁major ▁projects ▁are ▁under way ▁in ▁the ▁min ing , ▁oil ▁and ▁gas ▁se ctors ▁that ▁are ▁anticip ated ▁to ▁give ▁a ▁significant ▁boost ▁to ▁the ▁Mal ag asy ▁economy . ▁These ▁include ▁such ▁projects ▁as ▁il men ite ▁and ▁z ir con ▁min ing ▁from ▁heavy ▁min eral ▁s ands ▁near ▁T ô lan aro ▁by ▁Rio ▁T into , ▁extra ction ▁of ▁nick el ▁near ▁Mor am anga ▁and ▁its ▁processing ▁near ▁To am as ina ▁by ▁Sher ritt ▁International , ▁and ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁giant ▁on sh ore ▁heavy ▁oil ▁depos its ▁at ▁T sim ir oro ▁and ▁B em ol anga ▁by ▁Mad agas car ▁O il . ▁ ▁Ex ports ▁formed ▁ 2 8   percent ▁of ▁G DP