Mineral resources are an important material basis for economic and social development, and the exploration and development of mineral resources is related to national economy and people's livelihood and national security.

Recently, the reporter learned from the China Geological Survey of the Ministry of Natural Resources that my country's new round of breakthrough strategic actions in mineral exploration have achieved remarkable results - 1 billion-ton oil fields and 19 billion-meter gas fields were newly discovered; more than 10 large-scale uranium deposits were discovered, and the uranium mineral resources increased significantly; 12 mineral resources such as copper, gold, gallium, germanium, and indium have increased significantly;

The minerals related to strategic emerging industries such as lithium, zirconium, hafnium, helium, and rare earths have made major breakthroughs.

How were these precious mineral resources discovered? What is the significance to our country?

What are the significance of the newly discovered mineral resources

to our country?

The reporter learned that in the new round of breakthrough strategic actions for mineral exploration, many new large mines have been discovered, especially the amount of new resources of copper, aluminum, lithium and other minerals have increased significantly.

Tang Juxing, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, introduced that in the new round of mineral exploration breakthrough action, 36 minerals adopt one mine and one policy. There are both bulk minerals such as oil, natural gas, coal, iron, and manganese, as well as strategic emerging minerals such as lithium and rare earths.

"Copper mine is the most important 'grain' for the industry. In the new round of breakthrough strategic action on mineral exploration, more than 30 million tons of copper were added nationwide, which is equivalent to the sum of the previous 10 years."

In addition, major breakthroughs in strategic emerging mineral exploration such as lithium, zirconium, hafnium, helium, rare earths provide strong resource guarantees for the safety of the industrial chain and supply chains of emerging industries such as new energy, new materials, aerospace, etc. in my country.

"In Alkin, Sichuan Methyl Card to Xinjiang, we have established a 3,000-kilometer-long lithium mine belt, with a resource capacity of 20 million to 30 million tons, which can ensure that our lithium price is not controlled by Western mining companies." Tang Juxing said.

In terms of energy and minerals, my country has discovered three deep coalbed methane gas fields of 100 billion cubic meters in the Ordos Basin, and the proven geological reserves have exceeded 500 billion cubic meters; it has discovered that the world's first ultra-deep water ultra-shallow large gas field has been found, with new natural gas proven geological reserves exceeding 100 billion cubic meters, and my country's clean energy self-sufficiency capacity has been significantly improved.

From 2011 to 2020, my country launched a breakthrough in mineral exploration. According to relevant statistics, in this round of breakthrough action, the new oil and natural gas resources were 10.1 billion tons and 6.85 trillion cubic meters respectively, and 1.7 billion tons of large oil fields and 21 large gas fields of 100 billion cubic meters were found; the new coal resources were 526.8 billion tons and the nickel resources were 3.49 million tons, and 32 new non-oil and gas mineral resource bases were formed.

Although the last round of mineral exploration breakthroughs achieved fruitful results, some important mineral resources have a high degree of dependence on foreign countries. In this regard, the Ministry of Natural Resources, together with relevant departments, jointly organized and implemented a new round of mineral exploration breakthrough actions, which can enhance my country's independent supply of energy resources and ensure national economic security and strategic needs.

Since the implementation of the new round of breakthrough strategic action for mineral exploration, various places have focused on large-scale scarce and strategic emerging industrial minerals, and have achieved a series of major mineral exploration breakthroughs around key mineralization zones and important oil and gas basins. A number of new energy resource bases have been added in the western region, and the resource foundation of old resource bases in the central and eastern regions has been further consolidated.

How to find mining mineral resources?

First, identify potential mineral exploration areas. In the western region, satellite or aerial exploration data and images can be used to conduct large-scale surface observations to find possible signs of mineralization; in the eastern region, vegetation development areas such as the east require large-scale sample collection, and the area with the highest useful elements can be discovered through laboratory chemical analysis.

Once a potential deposit is discovered, scientific researchers must conduct field investigations and sampling - collect core samples in selected key areas for laboratory testing, and build a more refined ore model.

After the mining company obtains the prospecting rights, it will conduct more accurate exploration and economic evaluation of the discovered deposits, including cost-benefit analysis, market demand forecast, etc.

Before formal mining, a comprehensive environmental impact assessment must be completed and mining rights must be obtained before development is carried out.

Tang Juxing introduced that it takes about 10 to 15 years to go from the most basic geological survey to the final mining of a deposit. "A deposit in many areas needs to go through the efforts of one, two or even three generations before it can find the mine and finally be developed by enterprises."

After decades of continuous technological research, my country's geophysical exploration technology and equipment research and development has broken through foreign blockades and monopoly, developed a series of independent equipment, and has initially possessed the comprehensive exploration capabilities of all-area, multi-scale, and high-precision. In particular, lightweight miniaturized equipment can be accurately explored in difficult areas, solving the problem of "people cannot get up and equipment cannot get up" in high-altitude areas in the past.

In addition, my country's significant progress in remote sensing technology, satellite monitoring and big data application has provided strong data support for resource mineral exploration.

Producer丨Wang Yuan

Editor-in-Chief丨Ma Wenjia

Editor--Ma Weilu