China continued to make progress in the discovery of new mineral resources in the past five years, according to sources with the Ministry of Land and Resources.

According to statistics, 694 large and medium-sized mineral fields were discovered from 2001 to 2004 as the new proven reserves of oil reached 3.65 billion tons, natural gas, 1,755.04 billion cubic meters, and coal, 17.21 billion tons.

The annual average growth of new oil, natural gas and coal reserves between 2001 and 2004 was 50.9 percent, 109.2 percent and 103.7 percent respectively, higher than those in the 1996-2000 period.

The levels of output of mineral resources grew steadily from 2001 to 2004. The output of petroleum reached 680 million tons, natural gas, 139.5 billion cubic meters; crude coal, 6.16 billion tons; steel, 850 million tons and cement, 3.22 billion tons.

The annual average output of petroleum, natural gas, crude coal, steel and cement between 2001 and 2004 was 31 percent, 77.2 percent, 65.1 percent, 123.5 percent and 81.4 percent up on the period from 1996 to 2000.

China's import of mineral products has kept growing in the past five years, with the volume reaching 1US$51.8 billion, 12 times more than in 1991.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2005)