Italian consultancy D'Appolonia has won a bid to prepare a study on the viability of plans to create new industrial and mining projects in a 6,000-sq-km area extending from the Red Sea cities of Safaga and Al-Qusayr to Eastern Qena in Egypt, a report said.

Egypt's 'Golden Triangle' project aims to take advantage of the country's under-tapped mineral resources and develop Upper Egypt, state-owned new agency MENA reported.

Plans include agricultural and touristic projects in the area.

D'Appolonia will study the viability of the plans and present its report within nine months, according to the report.