China discovers 38 new mineral deposits in H1 2025
2025-07-10 16:38:26 [Print]
China discovered 38 new mineral deposits in the first half of 2025, up 31% year-on-year, including 25 medium- and large-sized ones, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. Preliminary data shows that investment in non-oil and gas mineral exploration reached RMB6.99 billion (USD974 million) in H1 2025, up 23.9% year-on-year, with growth continuing to accelerate.
Exploration spending on key minerals such as tin, bauxite, tungsten, copper, and phosphate jumped by over 50% YoY, while coal, lead-zinc, molybdenum, gold, and graphite also saw steady increases. The Ministry of Natural Resources continued expanding the supply of exploration rights, with 318 strategic mineral exploration licenses issued in the first half of 2025, following a record-breaking 581 licenses granted in 2024.
Exploration efforts led to major breakthroughs in key minerals. Heilongjiang Province discovered its first super-large uranium deposit. In Hebei's Xinglong County, rubidium resources increased by 3.37 million tonnes, reaching super-large scale. Hebei's Longhua County identified 27,000 tonnes of cobalt, while Guizhou's Songtao County added 22.85 million tonnes of manganese, both classified as large-scale deposits. In Xinjiang's Tekes County, newly discovered gold resources reached 81 tonnes, bringing the total close to 100 tonnes, making it a super-large deposit. Most mineral exploration targets under the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) have already been achieved ahead of schedule.
Exploration spending on key minerals such as tin, bauxite, tungsten, copper, and phosphate jumped by over 50% YoY, while coal, lead-zinc, molybdenum, gold, and graphite also saw steady increases. The Ministry of Natural Resources continued expanding the supply of exploration rights, with 318 strategic mineral exploration licenses issued in the first half of 2025, following a record-breaking 581 licenses granted in 2024.
Exploration efforts led to major breakthroughs in key minerals. Heilongjiang Province discovered its first super-large uranium deposit. In Hebei's Xinglong County, rubidium resources increased by 3.37 million tonnes, reaching super-large scale. Hebei's Longhua County identified 27,000 tonnes of cobalt, while Guizhou's Songtao County added 22.85 million tonnes of manganese, both classified as large-scale deposits. In Xinjiang's Tekes County, newly discovered gold resources reached 81 tonnes, bringing the total close to 100 tonnes, making it a super-large deposit. Most mineral exploration targets under the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) have already been achieved ahead of schedule.
Tin Conc. 60%min Delivered China
Unit:RMB/mtm
China tin concentrate producers' number MoM output increase statistics by province by month
Unit: pcs
