In the future, the proportion of mineral exploration and development in China's western regions will gradually increase, and several key mineral types are expected to take shape. “ Both things are equally important. ” the overall situation. Reporters learned from the Development Research Center of the China Geological Survey, which recently held a meeting... 2015 At the annual results exchange meeting, it was learned that researchers reached this conclusion by conducting a study on the patterns and countermeasures for mineral resource exploration and development.

　　It is reported that researchers have conducted a study and made projections on China’s major mineral resource exploration and development bases. They believe that the driving forces behind the formation of these bases include resource demand, resource endowment, national regional development strategies, and regional economic development needs. Meanwhile, environmental carrying capacity, infrastructure conditions, and the level of exploration and development technology will serve as constraints on their establishment. The researchers pointed out that most regions in central and western China are at the early stages of either primary or intermediate industrialization, creating significant demand for further industrial development. In many central and western regions, as well as in certain eastern regions, the output value of mining or non-energy mining accounts for a substantial share of total industrial output; thus, for a certain period of time, mining will remain one of the priority industries for local development.

　　Based on a review of the latest exploration progress in various regions, researchers have outlined the anticipated pattern for the exploration and development of China’s major mineral resources. It is projected that by... 2020 In the year, iron resources will be formed. 13 At a certain stage, the eastern region will still be the mainstay of exploration and development, but the proportion of the western region will gradually increase, with the potential to move toward a more balanced east-west development pattern. Copper resources will take shape. 20 One exploration and development base, including two reserve bases, is expected to achieve a balanced east-west development pattern in the medium to long term; lead-zinc resources will be established. 15 a prospecting and development base, among which 1 A reserve base will, in the medium to short term, adopt a pattern of balanced development between the east and west; in the long term, the western region is expected to surpass the eastern region in terms of its share. Gold resources will take shape. 14 Of the exploration and development bases, the eastern region will remain dominant in the medium to long term, while the share of the western region will only increase slightly.

　　Meanwhile, based on the five-year exploration progress of the Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Initiative and the insights gained from expert discussions, researchers have put forward recommendations for the key mineral types to be prioritized in the third phase: further intensification of exploration efforts is needed for oil, natural gas, coalbed methane, shale gas, coal, uranium, copper, nickel, tin, lithium, chromite, manganese, and potash; exploration of bauxite, lead-zinc, and gold should be maintained at a stable level; and exploration of iron, phosphorus, tungsten, and molybdenum should be somewhat scaled back.