Northern Ireland could be sitting on a goldmine, geologists revealed today.
A number of new sites are to be explored after a major mapping study of the country's natural resources. Traces of platinum have also been found in soil for the first time.
Nine exploration and mining companies have already declared they want to carry out further examinations.
Their work is expected to see at least £20 million ploughed into the local economy.
And Garth Earls, Director of Geological Survey NI, delivered an upbeat assessment of the chances of uncovering a vein of ore similar to the Galantas site near Omagh, Co Tyrone.
He said: "Will we find another precious metal mine? I would like to think we will. I would be disappointed if we didn't find another bedrock gold occurrence."
With the new detailed maps reaching depths of several kilometres, the possible presence has been found in the soil around North Down and parts of Co Derry.
The traces of platinum, detected in east Antrim, came as a big surprise to scientists.
Although stressing the chances of finding any significant seams were tiny, exploration firms from Canada, South Africa, Britain and Northern Ireland have taken out licenses to investigate further.
Mr Earls and other geologists will present the initial results from their Tellus Project, a geochemical and geophysical survey named after the Roman Goddess of the Earth.
The land and airborne study into the province's natural resources, carried out between 2004-06, is expected to have a massive impact on the economic, environmental, agricultural and health sectors.
Magnetic, electromagnetic and radiometric mapping techniques were used from low-flying aeroplanes to survey the whole of Ulster's 14,000sq km.