China records new advances in mineral resource exploration, including chromite and unconventional oil and gas, the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources said on January 8, 2026. Photo: Screenshot of China Media Group's report

China has recorded new advances in mineral resource exploration, including breakthroughs in chromite and unconventional oil and gas, the China Geological Survey (CGS) of the Ministry of Natural Resources said, China Media Group (CMG) reported on Thursday.

A new discovery has been made in the Sartuohai 27 mining group in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with 20 identified ore bodies and an average grade of 30.73 percent. This marks the largest mining discovery in the region in nearly 40 years, according to the CGS.

Chromite, a scarce strategic mineral in China, is a key element for metals such as cobalt, nickel and tungsten. Its alloys are critical components in the aviation, aerospace, automotive manufacturing and shipbuilding industries, CMG reported.

In addition to the newly discovered chromite resources, China has achieved a breakthrough in unconventional oil and gas exploration in Central China's Hubei Province.

China records new advances in mineral resource exploration, including chromite and unconventional oil and gas, the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources said on January 8, 2026. Photo: Screenshot of China Media Group's report

Focusing on shale formations from the Permian period, a geological era that lasted from approximately 299-252 million years ago, geological teams have successfully obtained industrial gas flows, opening up a new type of unconventional gas-bearing strata. This development marks the effective expansion of shale gas exploration from the Sichuan Basin into western Hubei. Newly added shale gas geological resources are estimated at 132.95 billion cubic meters, further strengthening the resource base for a sustained shale gas development hub in the region.

On Monday, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China formulated a "one mine, one policy" plan on key mineral resources to achieve exploration goals. As a result, 10 large oil fields and 19 large gas fields were discovered, with significant increases in reserves of uranium, copper, gold, lithium and potash. In particular, the Dadonggou Gold Mine in Northeast China's Liaoning Province verified reserves of 1,444.49 tons of gold, CMG reported.

In 2026, the country will launch a new round of strategic action to achieve further breakthroughs in mineral exploration, while carrying out a special campaign to address "speculative hoarding of exploration rights without actual exploration" and cracking down on illegal mining of strategic mineral resources, CMG reported.

Global Times