China launches 15th five-year plan for new round of strategic mineral prospecting
2026-06-18 14:33:18 [Print]
On June 15, the Ministry of Natural Resources convened a mobilization and planning meeting to kick off the new round of strategic mineral exploration for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030).
The meeting underscored the need to stay firmly focused on the exploration targets for the upcoming five-year cycle, with six priority workstreams as follows: first, strengthening foundational geological surveys to generate a robust pipeline of prospecting targets and exploration block recommendations; second, accelerating exploration of strategic minerals to boost reserves and production of critical mineral resources; third, enhancing comprehensive resource utilization to unlock value from previously untapped or hard-to-process reserves; fourth, refining policy frameworks to safeguard both the state's ownership rights over mineral resources and the legitimate rights of mining rights holders; fifth, driving scientific and technological innovation to foster new quality productive forces in the mineral exploration sector; sixth, promoting green exploration and mining practices to minimize the ecological footprint of exploration and extraction activities.
The meeting underscored the need to stay firmly focused on the exploration targets for the upcoming five-year cycle, with six priority workstreams as follows: first, strengthening foundational geological surveys to generate a robust pipeline of prospecting targets and exploration block recommendations; second, accelerating exploration of strategic minerals to boost reserves and production of critical mineral resources; third, enhancing comprehensive resource utilization to unlock value from previously untapped or hard-to-process reserves; fourth, refining policy frameworks to safeguard both the state's ownership rights over mineral resources and the legitimate rights of mining rights holders; fifth, driving scientific and technological innovation to foster new quality productive forces in the mineral exploration sector; sixth, promoting green exploration and mining practices to minimize the ecological footprint of exploration and extraction activities.
