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NATIONAL FLAG, NATIONAL EMBLEM, NATIONAL CAPITAL, NATIONAL ANTHEM|ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES|NATURAL RESOURCES|CLIMATE|POPULATION, ETHNIC GROUPS |
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Mineral Resources |
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Summary |
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China has abundant mineral resources. More than 160 kinds of minerals have so far been discovered, with total reserves ranking third in the world. Recoverable deposits of coal amount to 1,006.3 billion tons, which are mainly distributed in north and northwest China, with Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region having richest coal reserves. Oil reserves are mainly distributed in the northwest and are also found in the northeast, the north and the sub-littoral continental shelf along the southeastern coast. Energy resources with proven reserves also include natural gas, oil shale, uranium and thorium. Ferrous metallic minerals with proven reserves include iron, manganese, vanadium and titanium, of which the deposits of iron ores are nearly 50 billion tons, mainly distributed in Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi and Sichuan provinces. All nonferrous metallic minerals that have been discovered in the world can be found in China. The country ranks among the world's top in terms of reserves of tungsten, tin, antimony, zinc, molybdenum, lead and mercury. The reserves of rare earth constitute 80 percent of the world's total, while those of antimony 40 percent. The reserves of titanium are equivalent to the combined total of other countries, and those of tungsten are quadruple the combined total elsewhere outside China. |