On February 28, the Department of Natural Resources of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region held a press conference on the progress of the “New Round of Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Initiative.” The conference focused on the interim achievements made in Inner Mongolia’s new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategic initiative, the deployment of key projects, and the “15th Five-Year Plan” for this new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategy. According to the briefing, in 2024, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region showed strong momentum in increasing its mineral reserves, with newly discovered gold resources totaling 80.6 tons.

On February 28, the Department of Natural Resources of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region held a press conference on the progress of the “New Round of Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Initiative.” The conference focused on the interim achievements made in Inner Mongolia’s new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategy, the deployment of key projects, and the “15th Five-Year Plan” for this new round of strategic initiative. According to the briefing, in 2024, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region showed strong momentum in increasing its mineral reserves, with newly discovered gold resources totaling 80.6 tons.

Zhang Yingda, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, pointed out that as an important national base for energy and strategic resources, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is fully leveraging its own advantages and continuously increasing its investment in geological exploration.

In 2024, Inner Mongolia achieved remarkable results in public-interest geological exploration, fully demonstrating its leading and pioneering role. The commercial exploration market continued to heat up, with several mines significantly increasing their reserves. With coordinated efforts among central, local, and enterprise entities, the new round of mineral exploration breakthrough initiatives has already yielded phased results.

First, the trend of increasing reserves of mineral resources is promising. In 2024, Inner Mongolia achieved another outstanding performance in the exploration and reserve expansion of strategic mineral resources: new iron ore reserves totaled 591 million tons, new gold reserves reached 80.6 tons, new molybdenum reserves amounted to 52,400 tons, and new fluorite reserves stood at 11.8913 million tons. Additionally, among advantageous minerals, new coal reserves totaled 12.759 billion tons, new silver reserves reached 513.27 tons, new lead reserves were 222,100 tons, new zinc reserves amounted to 707,100 tons, new indium reserves totaled 397 tons, new pyrophyllite reserves reached 1.772 million tons, and new mirabilite reserves stood at 2.188 million tons.

Second, significant breakthroughs have been achieved in mineral exploration. In 2024, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region received over 1.6 billion yuan in geological exploration investments from central, local, and commercial sources. Among these, the exploration efforts funded by the central government led to the discovery of large-scale gold deposits. Specifically, the Hohhot Natural Resources Comprehensive Survey Center successfully completed the reserve evaluation of the No. 100 vein group of the Dabagou ore section in the Hada Mengou mining area of Baotou City, adding 31.86 tons of new gold resources. Furthermore, mineral exploration and survey projects funded by the autonomous region and league-level city governments have yielded remarkable results: a total of 540 comprehensive anomalies were delineated through basic geological work, 85 new mineral (or mineralization) occurrences were discovered, and 46 preliminary prospecting target areas were identified. Additionally, 24 new potential mineral deposit sites were discovered, and 254 block proposals were submitted. Notably, the Shengli mining area in Xilin Hot City added 1.246 billion cubic meters of coalbed methane resources; the Tarangole and Xinjie mining areas in Ordos City added 9.8 billion tons of coal resources; and the natural soda exploration project in Naiman Banner added over 2 billion tons of natural soda and rock salt resources. Commercial exploration efforts continue to achieve increased reserves: the Weilastuo lithium-tin mine in Keshiketeng Banner, through further exploration activities, has cumulatively discovered lithium resources exceeding 2 million tons. Several mines—including the rock gold mine in Tugurige Mining Area of Urad Middle Banner, the Dasuji molybdenum mine in Zhuozhi County, the iron mine in Dianbao Village of Guyang County, and the fluorite mines in Zones I and II of Bumute Mining Area in Sunite Left Banner—have achieved exploration breakthroughs and significantly increased their reserves, with each reaching large- and medium-sized scales through deep and peripheral “mineral-focused exploration” as well as detailed and intensive investigations.

Third, we are carrying out a special campaign to achieve breakthroughs in mineral exploration. In particular, the special exploration effort for rare-earth resources in the Baiyun Obo area adopts a model of “government-enterprise collaboration and mine-based exploration.” Baogang Group is responsible for conducting comprehensive evaluation and exploration of rare-earth resources within the mining area, while the fiscal authorities provide funding for basic geological surveys and integrated research efforts around the mining area. Currently, the comprehensive exploration and reserve evaluation and filing work within the mining area has been largely completed, resulting in significant increases in reserves of minerals such as iron, niobium, and rare earths. The basic geological survey and integrated research projects funded by the autonomous region’s fiscal authorities have identified a total of 19 prospective exploration targets for iron, niobium, rare earths, gold, fluorite, and other minerals. Moreover, a new south ore belt rich in iron, niobium, and rare earths has been discovered in Baiyun Obo, with estimated deposit sizes potentially reaching super-large scale. The special exploration efforts in the Beishan area are progressing smoothly. From 2020 to 2024, the autonomous region has allocated a total of 500 million yuan to Beishan, supporting the implementation of 100 geological exploration projects. Among these, strategic mineral surveys have identified 386 anomaly zones, 57 mineral occurrences, and 37 target areas. Furthermore, mineral exploration has delineated 10 areas with high exploration potential, including six gold deposits, two tungsten deposits, one molybdenum deposit, and one lead-zinc deposit. After careful review and screening, 17 exploration blocks are planned to be included in the preliminary list for mineral rights transfer.

According to Zhang Yingda, in 2025, the autonomous region’s finance will continue to allocate a special fund of 750 million yuan for a new round of strategic actions aimed at breakthroughs in mineral exploration, with a total of 342 geological exploration projects planned. Of these, 106 are new projects and 236 are continuation projects. Among the 106 newly launched projects, 80 are mineral exploration projects, 8 are strategic mineral survey projects, 2 are block-selection survey and evaluation projects, 11 are oil, gas, and coalbed methane resource survey and evaluation projects, and 5 are comprehensive research projects. Specifically, the mineral exploration projects will focus primarily on strategic minerals such as gold, copper, tin, molybdenum, nickel, tungsten, and germanium, as well as advantageous mineral resources in our region, including silver, lead, and zinc, providing block recommendations to support the market-oriented transfer of mining rights.

The strategic mineral exploration and block optimization evaluation project is primarily deployed in key metallogenic belts located in regions such as Bayannur City, Tongliao City, Hulunbuir City, Ulanqab City, and Xilingol League, further enhancing the level of basic geological work. The oil and gas and coalbed methane exploration and evaluation projects are mainly concentrated in favorable hydrocarbon accumulation areas in cities including Ordos City, Hulunbuir City, Xilingol League, Baotou City, and Wuhai City. The comprehensive research project focuses on predicting the deep and peripheral mineral resource potential of key mines within the Daxinganling metallogenic belt and the northern margin of the North China Craton, providing foundational data and guidance for the next phase of reserve expansion and exploration activities at these mines. Meanwhile, 75 geological exploration projects will be completed within the year, and recommendations for block transfer will be submitted. During the Q&A session with reporters, Zhou Penghan, Director of the Geological Exploration Management Division of the Department of Natural Resources of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, provided answers regarding the “15th Five-Year Plan” for the region’s new round of mineral exploration initiatives.

Zhou Penghan stated that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will continue to comprehensively launch a new round of strategic initiatives aimed at achieving breakthroughs in mineral exploration, optimize and adjust work arrangements, and strengthen policy improvements and financial investment. In accordance with the provisions of the newly revised “Mineral Resources Law of the People’s Republic of China,” we will fully leverage the leading role of public-interest and basic geological surveys and mineral exploration efforts, and broaden the sources of exploration rights blocks.

First, carry out overall planning and set forth task objectives. Based on the domestic and autonomous region’s mining economic situation, analyze and study the major strategies for high-quality socio-economic development and the demand for mineral resources driven by emerging industries. Systematically review and summarize the achievements of existing geological exploration efforts as well as the progress made in the “14th Five-Year Plan” breakthroughs in mineral exploration, and specifically identify key priorities for geological exploration work and target tasks for increasing mineral reserves.

Second, optimize and adjust key areas. Fully align with the formulation of mineral resource plans and the delineation of the “Three Zones and Three Lines,” highlight key priorities for geological exploration, and, based on the actual conditions of the autonomous region, carefully select and adjust the “Four Zones”—namely, the basic survey zone, the key survey zone, the key exploration zone, and the important mine zone.

Third, we will strengthen strategic mineral exploration and survey efforts. In line with the national goal of “consolidating and building a number of mineral resource bases,” during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we plan to actively seek national support for fundamental geological surveys, focusing on the development of key national energy and resource bases. We aim to achieve full coverage of 1:50,000-scale regional geological surveys across Inner Mongolia’s major ore-forming belts as soon as possible. Furthermore, geological exploration projects funded by the autonomous region’s fiscal budget will be concentrated in priority areas—such as those targeted for consolidation and development as strategic resource bases—fully leveraging the leading role of public-interest-driven initiatives to further encourage and mobilize private-sector investment.

Regarding the measures being taken by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the new round of mineral exploration equipment development, Zhou Penghan provided a detailed response. He stated that equipment development is a key driving force behind the new round of strategic actions aimed at achieving breakthroughs in mineral exploration. Currently, geological survey teams in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region face challenges such as outdated equipment and a shortage of advanced, environmentally friendly exploration instruments and devices. To accelerate the establishment of a modernized equipment system that integrates ecological and environmental protection with breakthroughs in mineral exploration, and to achieve the goal of high-quality development in mineral exploration coupled with high-level ecological and environmental protection, the Autonomous Region’s Department of Natural Resources and the Forestry and Grassland Bureau have issued the “Notice on Fully Implementing Green Exploration.” This notice focuses on various scenarios across Inner Mongolia—including desert and Gobi regions, grassland wetlands, and forested areas—promoting the use of mature, domestically developed equipment for geophysical surveys, geochemical analyses, remote sensing, drilling, testing and analysis, and sorting and beneficiation experiments. Geological survey units are encouraged to seize the new opportunities presented by the national “Two New” initiatives—large-scale equipment upgrades and the trade-in program for consumer goods—and, based on their own development needs, to strengthen the renewal, upgrading, and application of green exploration equipment. In particular, efforts will be made to retrofit and upgrade a batch of equipment that still has usable value, addressing issues such as energy consumption, pollution, and safety hazards; to phase out and scrap a batch of idle, damaged, and heavily polluting old equipment; and to replace them with a new batch of advanced, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and highly effective equipment.

Meanwhile, geological exploration projects funded by the autonomous region’s finance are actively conducting demonstration efforts on green exploration equipment and technologies. To date, advanced geophysical and geochemical exploration methods—such as airborne remote sensing, airborne hyperspectral imaging, and high-precision gravity measurements—that cause minimal disturbance to the ecological environment have been introduced in cities including Baotou and Tongliao. Through extensive demonstration and publicity activities, as well as intensified training in new technologies, new methods, and new equipment, we are promoting the upgrading and replacement of exploration equipment used by the autonomous region’s geological survey teams, effectively enhancing the modernization level of equipment support and ensuring that the requirements set forth by the Party Central Committee and the State Council for high-quality development of the autonomous region are fully implemented.