China's mineral exploration investment grows for fourth straight year
2025-10-28 15:42:11 [Print]
China's geological exploration investment reached nearly 116 billion yuan (16.31 billion US dollars) in 2024, up for the fourth consecutive year, according to the China Mineral Resources Report 2025 released by the Ministry of Natural Resources on October 23. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, nearly 450 billion yuan (63.29 billion US dollars) has been invested in mineral exploration, keeping the supply of key mineral products on a steady rise.
Exploration results were strong for major minerals such as copper, iron, and phosphate, with substantial increases in identified resources. Progress was also made in strategic minerals including lithium, zirconium, hafnium, rare earths, and helium, while China's advantages in tungsten, molybdenum, antimony, fluorite, and graphite resources were further strengthened.
In 2024, 150 new mineral deposits were discovered across the country, including 49 large, 54 medium, and 47 small ones. The most frequently found minerals were fluorite (9 deposits), lithium (8 deposits), gold (8 deposits), and iron (8 deposits).
Fixed asset investment in the mining sector rose 10.5% year on year, while output of major ten nonferrous metals kept growing. Production of coal, crude oil, and natural gas also reached record highs.
Exploration results were strong for major minerals such as copper, iron, and phosphate, with substantial increases in identified resources. Progress was also made in strategic minerals including lithium, zirconium, hafnium, rare earths, and helium, while China's advantages in tungsten, molybdenum, antimony, fluorite, and graphite resources were further strengthened.
In 2024, 150 new mineral deposits were discovered across the country, including 49 large, 54 medium, and 47 small ones. The most frequently found minerals were fluorite (9 deposits), lithium (8 deposits), gold (8 deposits), and iron (8 deposits).
Fixed asset investment in the mining sector rose 10.5% year on year, while output of major ten nonferrous metals kept growing. Production of coal, crude oil, and natural gas also reached record highs.
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Unit:RMB/mt
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Unit: mt
