China discovered 200 non-oil and gas mineral deposits in 2025, including 16 gold and 11 iron deposits, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ China Mineral Resources 2026 report.

The findings highlight continued growth in geological exploration investment and progress in identifying new mineral resources.

The report, released at the 28th China Mining Conference and Exhibition in Tianjin, said major breakthroughs were also achieved in conventional oil and gas exploration, particularly in new layers and zones in the Tarim and Junggar Basins.

China’s coal output rose 1.4 per cent year-on-year to 4.85 billion tonnes in 2025, while crude oil production increased 1.5 per cent to 216 million tonnes, marking seven consecutive years of growth.

Natural gas output climbed 6.3 per cent to 262.06 billion cubic metres.

During the 2021-2025 Five-Year Plan, China identified 398 new large and medium-sized strategic mineral deposits, with significant discoveries in copper, gold and potash. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service