China is estimated to have 22,000 tons of gold and 250,000 tons of silver reserves which need further prospecting, experts say.

 

The country will take measures to prospect gold resources across the country in the coming five years, said Ye Jinhua, a researcher with the development research center in China Geological Survey Bureau.

 

The reserve figures are based on analysis and survey carried out from the 1980s to 1990s, and the evaluation on mineral resources is an important part in China's 12-year land resources survey project which started in 1999, Ye said.

 

Geologists have promoted survey work at the major mineral resources belts over the past seven years and pinpointed 500 mineral resources mines, which boast rich non-ferrous metal, ferrous metal, noble metal and important non-metal mineral resources.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2006)