Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Department of Natural Resources of Anhui Province has taken exploring and implementing new mechanisms for mineral exploration as a key driver, continuously innovating working methods and achieving phased breakthroughs in mineral exploration. The province has newly discovered 850 million tons of coal, 120 million tons of iron, 200,000 tons of copper, 25 tons of gold, 1.96 million tons of fluorite, and 730,000 tons of vanadium.

First, we adhered to a model of fund-led initiatives with commercial follow-up. We invested approximately 480 million yuan in the provincial geological exploration fund and leveraged nearly 600 million yuan in social capital, enabling the implementation of over 370 exploration projects. These efforts have helped achieve new breakthroughs in mineral exploration, including the Jiangjiachong gold-copper-lead-zinc deposit in Lujiang County, the Dayao Village iron-rich ore deposit in Yian District, Tongling City, and the Xiangshan crystalline graphite deposit in Huaining County.

Second, we will uphold coordinated collaboration and concentrate our efforts on tackling tough challenges. We will promote deepened cooperation among geological exploration units, mining enterprises, universities, and research institutes across the province, implementing a “group-based” approach to mineral exploration. We will launch the “Thousand People, Hundred Projects” large-scale mineral exploration campaign, fostering a province-wide, unified strategy for mineral exploration and pooling our strengths to create a powerful synergy. We will also facilitate the signing and implementation of the “Three Provinces and Six Parties” Strategic Cooperation Agreement on Mineral Exploration Breakthroughs in Tongbai-Dabie.

Third, we will uphold innovation-driven development and technology empowerment. We will always regard innovation as the “golden key” for discovering large-scale, high-quality, and urgently needed mineral deposits. We will focus on tackling original and pioneering scientific and technological challenges centered around key technologies and methods for strategic mineral exploration. To date, the province’s geological science and technology innovation achievements have won 8 provincial and ministerial-level awards for scientific and technological progress, as well as 47 other awards.

Fourth, we will adhere to the principle of ecological priority and green exploration. We have introduced the Anhui Provincial Local Standard “Technical Specifications for Green Exploration” and issued the “Notice on Fully Implementing Green Exploration,” rigorously enforcing the technical requirements for green exploration, promoting the application of advanced technologies and equipment, and minimizing the impact of geological exploration activities on the ecological environment. Fifth, we will uphold policy incentives and strive to improve quality and efficiency. We will continue to deepen reforms in mineral resource management and take the lead nationwide in implementing full-lifecycle management for mines. We have successively issued documents such as the “Administrative Measures for the Collection of Revenue from the Transfer of Mining Rights in Anhui Province,” accelerating the pace of transferring exploration blocks. To date, the province has cumulatively transferred 62 mining rights, generating revenue totaling 54.8 billion yuan.