Beijing: China reported a surge in mineral discoveries in the first half of 2025, identifying 38 new deposits, which marks an increase of 31 percent compared to the previous year. Among these, 25 deposits were classified as large or medium-sized, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced.
According to Emirates News Agency, the ministry highlighted significant breakthroughs in the exploration of key mineral resources. One of the most crucial findings was China's first super-large uranium deposit located in Heilongjiang province in the northeast. Additionally, in Xinglong county, North China's Hebei province, rubidium resources reached 3.37 million metric tonnes, elevating it to a super-large scale and solidifying China's dominant position in rubidium ore.
In Longhua county, also in Hebei, newly discovered cobalt resources totaled 27,000 tonnes, classified as large scale. Songtao county in Southwest China's Guizhou province experienced an increase in manganese resources amounting to 22.85 million tonnes, also reaching a large scale. In Tekes county, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, gold resources surged to 81 tonnes, with a cumulative total nearing 100 tonnes, marking a significant breakthrough on a super-large scale.
The ministry stated that most mineral exploration targets under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) have been achieved ahead of schedule. Furthermore, national investment in non-oil and gas mineral exploration reached 7 billion yuan ($975 million), showing a year-on-year increase of 23.9 percent.
There is a growing enthusiasm among enterprises to participate in mineral exploration, as evidenced by social funds investing 3.6 billion yuan, an almost 30 percent year-on-year rise, accounting for nearly half of the country's total investment. Combined central and local financial funds reached 3.6 billion yuan, reflecting a 20 percent year-on-year growth.
Investment in the exploration of various minerals, including tin, tungsten, copper, phosphate ores, and bauxite, surged by over 50 percent year-on-year. Exploration investments in coal, lead-zinc, molybdenum, gold, graphite, and other minerals also saw varying degrees of growth.
China also increased the issuance of exploration rights, granting a record 581 permits for strategic minerals in 2024. In the first half of 2025, an additional 318 rights were issued.