China’s strategic mineral exploration programme has delivered substantial results, with the country reporting 200 newly discovered non-oil and gas mineral deposits nationwide in 2025. The findings were published in the China Mineral Resources Report 2026, released by the Ministry of Natural Resources on September 11, 2026, at the China Mining Conference and Exhibition held in Tianjin. The report also confirmed that geological exploration investment rose for a fifth consecutive year, underscoring the nation’s sustained commitment to expanding its mineral resources base.
Scale and Composition of New Mineral Deposits from Strategic Mineral Exploration
The 200 newly identified mineral deposits span a wide range of sizes and commodity types. Of the total, 63 were classified as large-scale, 57 as medium-scale and 80 as small-scale. Gold topped the list with 16 new discoveries, followed by iron ore with 11. Coal accounted for nine new deposits, while manganese and lithium each contributed eight discoveries.
The breadth of these findings reflects a deliberate push to diversify the range of strategic minerals being targeted through geological exploration. The fifth straight year of rising investment in exploration signals that government-backed funding for mineral resources identification remains a central priority in China’s broader resource security agenda. By directing capital consistently toward exploration, authorities have ensured a pipeline of newly verified deposits across minerals considered vital for industrial and energy applications.
Gold and iron ore leading the discovery count is notable, but the inclusion of lithium and manganese among the top categories also points to the growing focus on minerals tied to battery production and clean energy technologies. These results reinforce the role of strategic mineral exploration in shaping the country’s long-term resource availability.
Strategic Minerals and Continued Exploration Progress
Looking at the broader five-year window, the 14th Five-Year Plan period from 2021 to 2025 saw the discovery of 398 medium-to-large strategic mineral deposits. This figure includes 225 oil and gas fields, meaning 173 of those discoveries fell within the non-oil and gas category. By the end of the planning period, China ranked first globally in reserves of 14 minerals, among them rare earths, tungsten, tin and molybdenum. The country also placed among the top four worldwide for nine additional minerals, including coal, iron, manganese and titanium.
Technological innovation has played a meaningful role in enabling these outcomes. The Ministry of Natural Resources highlighted advances in exploration technology and equipment, along with landmark results in deep mineral exploration, national resource assessment and metallogenic research. Over the past year alone, four national standards and 55 industry standards were published to support continued mining development and resource evaluation.
Institutional reform has reinforced these technical gains. A revised Mineral Resources Law, along with its implementing regulation, was enacted in 2025. The legislation was designed to strengthen resource security, promote rational development and utilization of mineral resources, protect the legitimate rights of mining rights holders and advance high-quality mining development.
China’s sustained investment in strategic mineral exploration and the steady flow of new mineral deposits confirmed over consecutive years point to a resource identification programme that continues to deliver measurable results across a range of critical commodities.