There are about 21 kinds of soil in Hebei province, but brown earth is the most common. It is mainly distributed in the hills and plains below an altitude of 800 meters, in areas that are major bases for grain, cotton, nuts and fruits

Minerals

Hebei has abundant mineral resources. There are 129 kinds of discovered minerals in the province. 78 of them have proven reserves. And 38 of those are among the six largest of their mineral reserves in the country.

The predominant minerals in Hebei are coals, irons, oi l(gas), gold, and many types of lime rocks. There are many types of coal in Hebei, including coking coal with a major distribution in Tangshan, Handan, Xing tai and Zhangjiakou. The main type of iron is lean ore, especially in East of Hebei, Handan, and Xingtai, where the reserve is large and often combined with other useful metals. Oil and natural gas are mainly stored in the middle area of Hebei plain and the coastal area of eastern Hebei. The reserve of lime rocks is also plentiful and of high quality. Hebei Province also is one of six largest areas for gold mining in China