Mineral Resources

China has a variety of geological conditions ranking first in the world, with her rich mineral resources and assorted varieties. 168 kinds o f minerals have so far been found, out of which the prove reserves of 151 kinds were confirmed. The mining volume per year amounts to more than 5 billion tons. Taking the 3rd place of the total value of the world. Coal, steel, cement, phosphorus and ten kinds of nonferrous metals, the output of crude oil occupies the 5th place of the world. The value of mining and processing industry takes up 31% of the total sum of national industry of the country.

Coal
Coal is the major energy, with a total reserve of about 1,500 billion tons, taking up 1/8 of the total reserves. The coal spreads far and wide but with some focusing mining spots, with assorted varieties and fine quality, it is favorable for exploration. All varieties of coal so far proved in the world are found in storage in China. Coal is found reserved mostly in North China and the Northeast and Northwest on China, Shanxi Province, in particular, is known as " the town of coal", whose coal reserves take up 30% of the total proved reserves in China.

Petroleum
Petroleum is one of the most important resources in China. Since 1950s of this century, 300 basins containing oil and gas and over 1,400 oil fields have been found, such as Daqing, Dagang, Shengli, Jizhong, Liaohe, Keramayi and Zhongyuan, etc. China has become one of the major petroleum-producing countries. There are following major oil exploring areas: Eastern area and south areas including ten provinces and autonomous regions in the south. By the end of 1993, the total preserves of petroleum has run out of 2.7-3billion tons. The average mining volume per year amounts to 140million tons since 1990s. In 1995 the crude oil output ran up to 149million tons.

Ferrous Metal
The reserves of ferrous metal such as Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti have been proved, among which the Fe reserves have run up to 49.731 billion tons, taking the 3rd place in world's reserves. However, only a few of mines consist of 15% iron and they are scattered around and hard to open up. The most famous mines of malachite are located in Hainan Island.

Nonferrous and rare metals
China has a great reserves of nonferrous and rare metals of assorted varieties. The reserves of W, Sn, Sb, Zn, Mo and Mg rank first in the world while the reserves of Cu, Al, Pb, Co, Ag take a leading position in the world's total reserves. Mercury( Hg) is located in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, and the middle and lower reaches of Yangzi River as well. The copper mines in Jiangxi province are the biggest of them all. The Jinchuan Ni mines in Jinlu city is the subsidiary mine of nickel and copper. The Sn mines in China are a part of the tin belt along the Pacific Ocean. The Sn mines are mostly located in provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan, among which the Sn mine in Gejiu,Yunnan is the biggest known as "the capital of tin" on earth. The W mines in China has taken up more than 50% of world's total reserves. Most W mines are located in South Jiangxi, North Guangdong and East Hunan. The reserves of Wu in these areas take up more than 50% of W reserves in China.

Rare-earth metals and minerals with dispersed elements
So far eight kinds of rare metals have proved reserves, among which the reserves of Li, Ta, Ni have ranked first in the world. Ten kinds of rare metals and dispersed elemental mines have rich recourses. The reserves of rare-earth metals in China have surpassed the total reserves abroad. The rare-earth recourses attached to Baiyunrbo iron mine is the biggest rare-earth deposit in the world.

Nonmetal resources
Seventy three kinds of nonmetals have been proved reserves, among which the reserves of pyrite, gypsum and heavy spar rank first in the world. The resources of asbestos, phosphate rock, talcum, coal rock, mica, graphite, Kaolin and marbles take the leading position in the world. The proved reserves of phosphorus amounts to 15.032 billion tons. Most of the resources are found in provinces of Sichuan,Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunnan and Hubei. Only fewer resources are found in northern, northeast and northwest of China.