Nation unearths 38 mineral deposits

China made significant strides in mineral resources exploration in the first half of this year, discovering 38 mineral deposits, a 31 percent year-on-year increase, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Thursday.

The ministry said 25 of the discovered deposits were classified as large and medium-sized.

The ministry also highlighted major breakthroughs in the exploration of strategic mineral resources.

The discoveries include the first super-large uranium deposit in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province. Uranium, used in thermal and nuclear power plants, holds strategic importance due to its role in nuclear fission.

In Xinglong county, Hebei province, newly added rubidium resources reached 3.37 million metric tons, achieving a super-large scale and strengthening China's leading position in rubidium ore. Rubidium is used in atomic clocks, medical imaging and industrial processes.

In nearby Longhua county, newly added cobalt resources totaled 27,000 tons, reaching a large scale. Cobalt is the most expensive raw material for lithium-ion batteries.

In Songtao county, Guizhou province, newly added manganese resources reached 22.85 million tons, while Tekes county in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region recorded the addition of 81 tons of gold resources, bringing the cumulative find there close to 100 tons and representing a major breakthrough on a super-large scale.

The ministry said exploration targets for most mineral types have been achieved ahead of schedule under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

Non-oil and gas mineral exploration investment reached 7 billion yuan ($975 million) from January to June, a 23.9 percent year-on-year increase, the ministry said. Investment from social funds rose nearly 30 percent to 3.4 billion yuan, accounting for almost half the total, while combined central and local government funds reached 3.6 billion yuan, a 20 percent increase.

The ministry highlighted the exploration of a uranium deposit in the Ordos Basin as a model for public-private cooperation. Local geological survey centers conducted initial exploration and later partnered with enterprises to drill 11 exploratory holes, ultimately confirming a super-large deposit, said Niu Li, an official with the ministry's geological exploration management department.

The revised Mineral Resources Law, which took effect on July 1, removed a provision requiring State-owned mining enterprises to be the principal force in mineral exploration. The change aims to give social entities equal opportunities and encourage the involvement of private funds.

Exploration investment has surged in minerals such as tin, tungsten, copper, phosphate ores and bauxite, with year-on-year increases of more than 50 percent. Investment has also grown in coal, lead-zinc, molybdenum, gold, graphite and other minerals.

The ministry has expanded the issuance of exploration rights, granting a record 581 strategic mineral exploration rights last year. In the first half of this year, 318 such rights were granted.