There are a lot of corals in Pratas Island/ Source from Mr. Lee Shing Fang

Minerals
　　Pratas Island is short of soil. Its surface is covered by white sand (weathered shells and coral); the middle layer is phosphate, in the form of guano, but not of sufficiently high quality to warrant extraction; the lower level is coral reef base rocks. The sea near the islands contains potential reserves of petroleum and natural gas.
Plants and Birds
　　The plants on the island are mostly low bushes, shrubs and tropical vines. Silver silk tree, strawberry tung tree and coconut tree are the main species. In addition, the soldiers have also planted vegetables and fruits on the island. The birds are mostly distributed along the coast in the shoals and lagoons. There about fifty species of birds, including Little Terns, Turnstones, Gullbilled Terns...etc. Most of them are migratory birds or seabirds.