[quote=@Theyra]
<Snipped quote by Wernher>

I mean like, mining or getting tin while in Madagascar, where there was no tin there, even historically. Like, look at the economy section of a nation in wikipedia, and if it says there that there is copper or iron in the nation, then it will be allowed to say set up a copper or iron mine if you start in that nation. If you say you are mining, let's say gold in a place that does not have gold deposits, even historically listed on wikipedia. Then no, that is not an option. But if the culture you start with, or you found that there are other resources like copper in Italy. Then just show me, and it will be allowed. You do not have to do heavy research for this, and just do some checking, and it will be fine.    

Sure, you can get stuff through trade once that is set up, or if it is already set up, depending on the culture you start with. More so if the culture you start with has access to copper or bronze stuff. Either by mining or trade. 

But, unless there is a good reason why you have something like elephants in the UK. Then no elephants in the UK since they were not there historically. So, for the last part of your question. The answer is yes, you cannot pull elephants, lions or silk worms out of nowhere since those were indeed from only a certain corner of the world.   

Does this answer your questions? 
[/quote]

Ehhhh, I might want to change location then.

If we go by that logic, then according to wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Italy , Italy is barren of any mineral wealth. Obviously its because modern day mining makes it unprofitable to exploit minerals from a first world country with deposits that aren't rich enough because otherwise it would mean the Roman empire started itself with just wood and marble. Now I could drag up the Roman mining article, but it describes what the entire republic/empire used so now I have to find very granular data to justify anything. And on the other side, some countries that are now considered extremely rich in mineral are only so because advanced mining technology allows to access these minerals and they wouldn't have been available during antiquity.

Now, I'm not bitching, I understand you have to run this show and this is an easy way to do it, but if this is how you want to do it I will relocate Astrid to Oristano, Sardigna, Italy since it will make anything resource wise sooo much more simple.