—— Xue Yingxi, Deputy Director of the Mineral Exploration Technology Guidance Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, discusses taking proactive measures under the new normal.

Source : Land and Resources Daily Author : Zhou Feifei Release time 2015-07-20

To keep abreast of the latest developments in the strategic initiative to achieve breakthroughs in mineral exploration and to accelerate the implementation of this nationally beneficial and people-oriented endeavor, at a critical juncture—just as the second phase is drawing to a close and preparations for the third phase are underway—the Mineral Exploration Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources dispatched four teams in late April to 10 locations. Multiple provincial regions conducted on-site surveys, focusing on gaining a deeper understanding of the current mineral exploration situation in each region and identifying the key issues that are hindering breakthroughs in mineral exploration efforts. Additionally, preliminary assessments were made regarding the goals for Stages Two and Three of the National Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategy. These findings will provide crucial input for the upcoming Conference on Sharing Experiences from the Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategy.

　　On the eve of the experience exchange meeting on the Strategic Action for Mineral Exploration Breakthroughs—marked by new situations, new requirements, and new initiatives—Xue Yingxi, deputy director of the Mineral Exploration Technology Guidance Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, spoke to reporters about the ongoing second-phase work of the Strategic Action for Mineral Exploration Breakthroughs, as well as the Ministry’s proactive adjustments to its geological exploration approach, its use of science and technology to enhance efficiency, and its efforts to proactively adapt to the new normal in economic development.

　 　1. Adapting to the New Normal: Focusing on Key Mineral Types and Adjusting Work Priorities

　　In 2014, the mineral exploration breakthrough strategic initiative—previously aimed at achieving “significant progress within three years”—entered its second phase, with a new goal of attaining “major breakthroughs within five years.” Although, affected by factors such as the slow recovery of the global economy, declining prices of mineral products, and an overall downturn in the mining industry, investment enthusiasm among mining enterprises has significantly waned compared to previous years, the mineral exploration breakthrough initiative has nonetheless made remarkable progress and achieved a number of exciting results. The key to this success lies in promptly identifying and analyzing the new situation, historically and dialectically understanding the stage-specific characteristics of geological exploration under the new normal, and proactively adapting and taking positive action.

　　“Understanding the new normal, adapting to the new normal, and leading the new normal—this is the overarching logic guiding China’s economic development in the current and coming period, and it also serves as the fundamental guideline for doing a good job in land and resource management and advancing the strategic initiative for breakthroughs in mineral exploration in the new era,” Xue Yingxi told reporters. Currently, China’s economic development is at a stage marked by the overlapping of three distinct phases: a period of shifting growth rates, a painful phase of structural adjustment, and a period of digesting earlier stimulus policies. “In this unprecedented historical stage, geological exploration efforts must undergo a fundamental shift in both thinking and approach.”

　　The first “transformation” is reflected in the targeted mineral types for geological exploration—placing greater emphasis on energy minerals, scarce mineral resources, and minerals crucial to strategic emerging industries.

　　First, we must place energy and mineral exploration in a more prominent position, aiming to support energy security, improve the energy structure, and underpin the reform of the oil and gas exploration and development system. We will intensify efforts to explore conventional oil, natural gas, as well as unconventional oil and gas resources such as coalbed methane, shale gas, and natural gas hydrates, along with uranium resources. We will strive to achieve major breakthroughs in areas such as shale gas resource surveys and surveys of oil and gas resources in new strata and new regions in northern China.

　　Second, taking into account comprehensively the complex and ever-changing international situation, resource supply channels and associated supply risks, as well as geopolitical factors, we will identify priorities for future mineral exploration efforts. While emphasizing energy minerals, we will also place particular emphasis on the exploration of scarce strategic mineral resources, including copper, nickel, chromium, iron, manganese, aluminum, lead, zinc, gold, tin, antimony, potash, and phosphorus.

　　Third, in line with the national strategy of vigorously developing strategic emerging industries, we are placing great emphasis at the national level on strategic emerging industry resources and strengthening the survey and evaluation of these resources—including lithium, beryllium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, rare earth elements, crystalline graphite, high-purity quartz, fluorite, and diamonds. This year, we have already instructed all provinces to carry out secondary development of existing resources, with a particular focus on re-examining the status of emerging industry resources and assessing their resource potential. Recently, significant breakthroughs have been made in the exploration of the Jiamika lithium deposit in Sichuan Province, and Sichuan Province has decided to leverage its resource and technological advantages to build a new-energy vehicle industry base.

　　The second “transformation” is reflected in the spatial realignment of geological exploration efforts, which are now being adjusted to align with national strategic needs—placing greater emphasis on China’s western regions, maritime areas, and other key regions.

　　On the one hand, based on the latest advances in mineral exploration, the results of resource potential assessments, and the distribution of key mineral resources, with a particular focus on China’s western region, we will further optimize the spatial layout by adjusting the nation’s key metallogenic belts, integrated exploration zones, priority exploration areas, and prospective exploration regions, thereby identifying the key areas for future mineral exploration efforts. On the other hand, in conjunction with the country’s economic restructuring, the westward shift of resource-intensive industries, regional economic development strategies, and major national initiatives such as the “Belt and Road” Initiative, we will comprehensively take into account geological, economic, environmental, and other factors to reshape the pattern of exploration and development of China’s critical mineral resources. At the same time, by intensifying mineral exploration efforts in marine areas, southern Xinjiang, contiguous and challenging regions, and mineral concentration zones, we will promote coordinated regional economic development. Fourth, we will coordinate and integrate all aspects of mineral resource exploration, development, protection, and reserve management, leveraging the guiding and regulatory role of planning to effectively enhance our macro-management capabilities and service levels, thus providing strong support for optimizing the overall spatial layout.

　　The third “transformation” refers to the fact that, under the new normal characterized by increasingly stringent ecological and environmental constraints on resource development, geological exploration efforts must also be integrated into the overall framework of green mining.

　　Specifically, adjustments to the integrated exploration zones and key exploration zones should be well coordinated with the master functional zone planning and mineral resource planning, and must avoid prohibited development zones as well as areas where exploration and mining are strictly forbidden. In ecologically fragile regions, we must adhere to the high-standard principle of “development at specific points, protection across broader areas” and “developing one area while protecting an entire region,” thereby achieving a balanced approach that integrates ecological conservation with economic development. In areas such as the Source Region of the Three Rivers, nature reserves, geological heritage sites, and national parks, geological prospecting activities will gradually be phased out.

　　Xue Yingxi told reporters that in 2014, under the leadership of the Ministry’s Mineral Exploration Office and the China Geological Survey, the Mineral Exploration Technology Guidance Center of the Ministry of Land and Resources conducted a comprehensive review of the completion status of various tasks in the first phase of the Strategic Action for Breakthroughs in Mineral Exploration. This review resulted in a series of summary reports on the three-year achievements of the National Strategic Action for Breakthroughs in Mineral Exploration. Building on these reports, and after extensively soliciting opinions from land and resource authorities at all levels as well as experts, and conducting an in-depth analysis of key national needs, the “Overall Plan for the National Strategic Action for Breakthroughs in Mineral Exploration” was dynamically revised. Specifically, 98 integrated exploration zones were retained, 11 were withdrawn, 11 were adjusted, and 9 new zones were added. The study also put forward recommendations for adjusting and optimizing the primary mineral types targeted in the integrated exploration zones, refining exploration layouts, and developing related supporting policies.

　　Meanwhile, fully leveraging the comprehensive research findings from the national assessment of mineral resource potential and the integrated study on exploration and development planning, we have conducted research on key national exploration target areas and formulated plans for mineral exploration deployment. We have prioritized and consolidated resource potential prediction zones, redefined the 27 major metallogenic belts nationwide, and proposed recommendations for adjusting integrated exploration zones. Additionally, we have selected 256 priority exploration areas and 336 prospective mineral exploration regions, providing crucial evidence for reshaping China’s mineral resource exploration and development landscape.

　　All “changes” are based on one “constant”—namely, the country’s demand for mineral resources continues to show a growing trend.

　　Under the new normal of economic development, the total demand for and external dependence on traditional bulk minerals such as iron, copper, aluminum, and potash salts remain at high levels. Relevant data show that China’s urbanization has so far reached just under 40%, still far from the nearly 80% level typically seen in developed countries. As we continue to advance industrialization and a new type of urbanization, this will inevitably boost the development of heavy industries—including steel, cement, building materials, and construction machinery—as well as light industries such as home appliances and household furnishings. All these sectors rely heavily on energy minerals and mineral raw materials for support.

　　“This is precisely the stage when the intensity of mineral resource consumption is at its peak. Although the global mining industry is currently undergoing a certain degree of adjustment and contraction, the fundamental trend toward positive development remains unchanged. In a context where total demand for mineral resources continues to rise and our dependence on foreign sources for several critical minerals keeps increasing, it is a strategic choice for China’s economy to continue stepping up efforts in domestic mineral exploration and effectively enhance our country’s resource security,” said Xue Yingxi.

　　 2. Promote integrated exploration: Identify problems, address shortcomings, and turn key areas into highlights.

　　Relevant statistics show that over the past year, China has achieved remarkable results in mineral exploration and prospecting nationwide, with 268 new mineral deposits discovered across the country—39 of which are large-scale, 77 medium-scale, and 152 small-scale (data released by the Ministry). Among these newly discovered mineral deposits, many are located within the 109 integrated exploration zones.

　　Xue Yingxi introduced that the integrated exploration zones have consistently served as a key driver of the Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Initiative. Last year, the Ministry of Natural Resources conducted an evaluation of the outcomes from the first phase of the Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Initiative, revealing that the integrated exploration zones achieved significantly better exploration results than other regions. These zones accounted for 78% of the nation’s newly discovered copper reserves, 60% of tungsten reserves, 52% to 54% of gold and bauxite reserves, and 22% to 24% of molybdenum, lead, and zinc reserves. They also represented 49% of all newly discovered large- and medium-sized mineral deposits. In 2014, despite a sluggish national mining market, the integrated exploration zones once again demonstrated strong vitality. Throughout the year, total investment in integrated exploration nationwide reached 7.843 billion yuan, including 1.236 billion yuan from the central government, 1.184 billion yuan from provincial governments, and 4.474 billion yuan from social capital (accounting for 61% of the total investment). A total of 3.7397 million meters of drilling were completed, and 97 new mineral deposits were discovered—20 of them large-scale, 27 medium-scale, and 50 small-scale.

　　Since the launch of the Strategic Action for Mineral Exploration Breakthroughs, in order to fully mobilize the enthusiasm of all parties, various regions have conducted active and beneficial explorations and experiments—based on their respective regional economic and social development conditions and resource characteristics—in areas such as encouraging and attracting social capital investment, distributing revenues from exploration results, implementing incentive policies for mineral exploration, supporting the reform and development of geological survey institutions, and coordinating the external environment for exploration activities. These efforts have yielded remarkable results, and a number of new resource exploration and development bases are beginning to take shape. However, some problems and shortcomings have also become apparent in different regions, which we need to address and resolve as soon as possible in our subsequent actions.

　　Xue Yingxi specifically addressed several common issues.

　　For example, currently in some regions, there’s a noticeable disparity in the level of attention being paid to integrated exploration efforts. Some provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) view integrated exploration zones as special mining areas, believing that doing so will enable them to secure more national projects and funding support. Geological survey units, meanwhile, are highly enthusiastic about establishing additional integrated exploration zones, primarily in order to obtain mining rights and project opportunities—thus ensuring continued investment, sustained operations, and workforce stability. On the other hand, certain provincial departments of natural resources and land administration tend to interpret integrated exploration as merely a managerial concept. These differing perceptions are undermining the sustainable development of integrated exploration. Moreover, some provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) still lack a sufficient understanding of the strategic initiative aimed at achieving breakthroughs in mineral exploration; relevant policies and measures have not been fully implemented, and the role of those primarily responsible for mineral exploration has yet to be fully realized.

　　“To address this issue, the key lies in strengthening supervision, research, and evaluation of mineral exploration results, and in refining the assessment and evaluation mechanisms for integrated exploration efforts. At the same time, we should establish a recognition system for integrated exploration, promptly commending and praising—on an appropriate basis—local and regional departments of natural resources, geological survey institutions, exploration entities or technology-leading organizations, investors, as well as geological survey professionals, enterprise leaders, mining rights holders, and officials from government regulatory agencies who have made outstanding contributions.” According to him, Inner Mongolia conducts inspections and provides guidance three times each year for every integrated exploration zone. In addition, it holds phased meetings and seminars specifically dedicated to advancing integrated exploration zones, ensuring that tasks assigned to these zones are effectively implemented, keeping abreast of exploration results and progress in a timely manner, and fostering coordinated mechanisms among governments at all levels as well as between the autonomous region, leagues, cities, banners, and counties’ departments of natural resources. This will help build a strategic platform for driving breakthroughs in mineral exploration, fully leveraging the roles of league, city, banner, and county departments of natural resources, and clearly defining the responsibilities of local governments, geological survey institutions, and enterprises. “This experience is highly worth promoting,” he added.

　　Since 2013, investment by social capital in the exploration of key bulk minerals—such as iron ore and copper ore—has shown a clear and sustained decline. While this trend is partly attributable to the continued slump in the international mineral markets, it is also closely linked to misalignment in local fiscal funding and a pronounced tendency toward administrative allocation of resources. Some local governments have taken control over the allocation of mining rights, thereby restricting the entry of private enterprises and directing a large portion of fiscal projects toward regions with promising mineral exploration prospects. This has created a significant “crowding-out effect” on social capital, greatly undermining the enthusiasm of both social investors and geological survey institutions for mineral exploration.

　　Xue Yingxi believes that, in the current context of declining investment in mineral exploration, it is even more important to deepen reform, further open up the market, boost market vitality, and fully leverage the market’s decisive role in resource allocation. We should accelerate the issuance of exploration rights and use market mechanisms to speed up the introduction of enterprises. At the same time, we should further expedite the promotion of “sunshine administration,” achieving centralized and unified publication nationwide of information on the public notices for the transfer and assignment of mining rights as well as other relevant publicly available information. We should also ensure transparency in key approval stages, the approval process itself, and the final outcomes. Furthermore, we should strengthen and improve the development of a tangible market for mining rights, actively support the integration and establishment of a unified and standardized public resource trading platform, and promote the creation and maintenance of a favorable investment environment for exploration.

　　Currently, some provincial and regional authorities are developing work plans for establishing newly designated integrated exploration zones. The land and resources departments of each province, taking the integrated exploration zones as a key initiative, are collaborating with the Ministry’s Mineral Exploration Technology Guidance Center to assemble experienced experts. Under a system of area-specific responsibility, they are holding meetings in phases and by geographic areas to ensure that enterprises commit to investment and implement exploration plans, while clearly defining the responsibilities of all parties involved.

　　Regarding further adjustments and optimizations to the layout of integrated exploration, he suggested that a batch of integrated exploration, development, and utilization bases for mineral resources should be proposed according to different mineral types, thereby forming, in spatial terms, key strategic core areas that ensure national resource security. Additionally, a number of priority integrated exploration zones with high potential for major breakthroughs in the near term should be delineated. Comprehensive potential assessments at a scale of 1:50,000 and mineral cluster prospecting predictions should be carried out in these integrated exploration zones, providing opportunities for social capital to select and enter these areas.

　 　3. Strengthen technical guidance: Deepen the integration of scientific and technological innovation with mineral exploration practice.

　　An important feature of the new normal is the shift from factor-driven and investment-driven growth to innovation-driven growth, a trend that is particularly evident in geological exploration and mineral prospecting.

　　Geological exploration for mineral resources is highly exploratory and is a technology-intensive industry. In recent years, the strategic initiatives aimed at achieving breakthroughs in mineral exploration have clearly demonstrated the importance of geological science and technology. Many major achievements and significant discoveries have been made possible precisely because of innovations in geological exploration theories and the rapid advancement of geological technologies.

　　For the Mineral Exploration Technology Guidance Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, 2014 was also a year of abundant scientific and technological achievements in mineral exploration:

　　A series of original achievements have been made in basic geological research. A theoretical and methodological system has been established for prospecting and mineral exploration in exploration areas, integrating the “three-in-one” approach that encompasses ore-forming geological bodies, ore-forming structural planes, ore-forming structures, and characteristic indicators of ore-forming processes. Research on mineral exploration prediction theory continues to deepen.

　　The mineral exploration prediction research team, led by Researcher Ye Tianzhu and formed through collaboration between the Technical Guidance Center and relevant research institutes and universities, has further summarized and deepened the theoretical and methodological framework for mineral exploration prediction in exploration areas, and has completed the writing of the general introduction to the monograph "Theories and Methods for Mineral Exploration Prediction in Exploration Areas." Xue Yingxi revealed that although the "three-in-one" metallogenic theory is still being continuously enriched and refined, when combined with the verification and processing of geophysical and geochemical data, this theory has already achieved remarkable success in guiding integrated exploration efforts and in mineral exploration at established mines.

　　There are countless inspiring examples. In 2014, the Dulong comprehensive exploration area in Tibet was preliminarily estimated to hold an additional 3 million tons of copper resources; the Shannan comprehensive exploration area in Tibet had 2.01 million tons of newly registered chromite ore reserves, with an expected increase of 2.5 million tons; the Yiduo colorful comprehensive exploration area in Qinghai is projected to add between 300,000 and 400,000 tons of copper resources; and the Daxing'anling Southern Foothills Copper and Polymetallic Mineral Comprehensive Exploration Area in Inner Mongolia—the Vilasto copper and polymetallic mining district in Keshiketeng Banner—has achieved a major breakthrough in tin exploration, with estimated additional tin metal reserves ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 tons.

　　Xue Yingxi specifically introduced the center’s key demonstration projects in geophysical and geochemical exploration technologies as well as its new technology testing efforts: By conducting demonstration projects of geophysical and geochemical exploration techniques in the Zhuxi copper-tungsten mining area in Jiangxi and the Kaladaban lead-zinc mining area in Xinjiang, we have identified various geophysical anomalies that can be induced by known ore bodies or mineralization geological structures within these mining areas. This has addressed previous misconceptions or unclear understandings about the effectiveness of these methods, providing valuable methodological and technical references for mineral exploration in these mining regions. In addition, the new technology trial of the KGR-1 anti-interference electrical resistivity meter, carried out in mining areas such as the Bairendaba lead-zinc mining area in Inner Mongolia, has enabled us to identify and analyze existing software and hardware issues with the new instrument and put forward recommendations for improvement, thus laying a solid foundation for the full-scale promotion of this technology. Meanwhile, the newly launched pilot test of a gas geochemical measurement method has, for the first time, detected gas anomalies, demonstrating the promising potential of this approach for locating hidden ore deposits in covered areas.

　　In addition, the center has prepared 600 maps at the 1:250,000 scale and 800 maps at the 1:50,000 scale as part of the integrated exploration area’s basic mapping series, and identified 120 priority prospecting targets, effectively guiding mineral exploration efforts.

　　“Establishing an operational mechanism that integrates industry, academia, research, and application serves as the platform for breakthroughs in mineral exploration; expert guidance and technical services are crucial guarantees for achieving such breakthroughs.” According to Xue Yingxi, the center has specifically stepped up its efforts in dynamic tracking of comprehensive exploration projects and on-site巡回 guidance. Last year alone, more than 160 expert visits were organized to 32 comprehensive exploration areas across 17 provinces and regions nationwide, conducting progress tracking, supervision and inspection, technical guidance, and expert oversight, and promptly providing services such as geophysical data processing and interpretation. At the same time, the center has further improved the national comprehensive exploration information system and the auxiliary software for mining rights review and approval. It has also organized research on technical methods for analyzing the rationality of mining rights allocation in comprehensive exploration areas, as well as key foundational studies covering 105 such areas. In addition, the center has developed technical guidelines, conducted training sessions on exploration technologies for porphyry copper deposits, carried out field inspections and annual assessments, and held on-site exchange seminars for the Tongren manganese deposit in Guizhou and the Zhuguangshan South uranium deposit in Guangdong. As a result, a number of critical scientific issues have been resolved, and a batch of practical and effective technical methods have been promoted.

　　Although technological advancement has become a key factor in achieving breakthroughs in mineral exploration, Xue Yingxi believes that the current integration between geological science and technology and geological exploration efforts remains insufficient, and further strengthening of innovation in geological technologies for deep-sea mineral exploration is still needed. “We believe that we should focus on addressing critical geological scientific issues in integrated exploration areas, as well as on predicting deep-sea mineral deposits, and on demonstrating and applying comprehensive exploration techniques and methods. In the next step, we will take the specific geological issues identified during comprehensive surveys and mineral-prediction studies in integrated exploration areas as our starting point and foundation, intensifying our efforts to provide technological support for these areas. Guided by the actual needs of mineral exploration, we will organize joint research efforts involving industry, academia, research institutions, and end-users to tackle the most challenging problems in mineral exploration and enhance the innovation capabilities of enterprises and geological survey units. At the same time, we will accelerate the promotion and trial use of the KGR-1 anti-interference electromagnetic instrument in integrated exploration areas.”

　　Xue Yingxi also specifically emphasized that the efficient and intensive utilization of mineral resources is key to enhancing the efficiency and benefits of mineral resource utilization and effectively protecting the ecological environment. In this regard, it is crucial to make good use of the results from the earlier “three-rate” surveys, and technological innovation plays an indispensable role in improving the “three rates” in mining operations.

　　“Whether the situation is buoyant or fraught with challenges, we must remain clear-headed and, based on the needs of the nation, society, and the public, clearly understand the current landscape and take proactive measures,” said Xue Yingxi. “To advance the strategic initiative for breakthroughs in mineral exploration in the new era, we must fully recognize the new characteristics of geological exploration under the ‘new normal’ of economic development, proactively adapt to the new tasks and requirements arising from this new normal, follow the objective laws governing economic and social development, grasp the unique features of geological exploration work, seize and make good use of the new opportunities embedded in the new normal, and focus on addressing the new contradictions and challenges facing geological exploration. We must place even greater emphasis on serving major national strategies, enhancing our support for land and resource management, accelerating the shift in development models and structural adjustments, and relying more heavily on innovation-driven approaches—striving to forge a new path for the reform and development of geological exploration.”