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 form a pattern of “equal emphasis on both east and west.” Reporters learned at the 2015 Annual Achievement Exchange Meeting recently held by the Development Research Center of the China Geological Survey that researchers reached this conclusion through their study on the spatial 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 future outlook for the exploration and development pattern of China’s major mineral resources. By 2020, it is expected that 13 exploration and development bases will be established for iron resources; for a certain period, the eastern region will remain the dominant area, but the share of the western region will gradually increase, potentially leading to a more balanced development between east and west. For copper resources, 20 exploration and development bases are projected, including two reserve bases; in the medium to long term, a balanced east-west development pattern is anticipated. As for lead-zinc resources, 15 exploration and development bases are expected, including one reserve base; in the medium to short term, a balanced east-west development pattern will emerge, while in the long term, the western region is likely to surpass the eastern region in terms of share. For gold resources, 14 exploration and development bases are forecasted; in the medium to long term, the eastern region will still dominate, with only a modest increase in the western region’s share.

　　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, phosphate, tungsten, and molybdenum should be somewhat scaled back.