Rare earths Photo: VCG

China has announced new mine exploration results showing significant rare-earth reserves in Maoniuping, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) Finance Channel reported on Tuesday. 

The report cited mineral exploration results released by the Ministry of Natural Resources, stating that a total of 9.6656 million tons of rare-earth oxides, along with 27.1354 million tons of fluorite and 37.2277 million tons of barite, were found in the Maoniuping mining area.

The deposit, so far the world's second largest light rare earth mine, second only to the Bayan Obo deposit in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, represents an increase of more than 300 percent over previously discovered reserves.

Experts said the findings mark another major discovery that significantly bolsters the country's strategic rare earth reserves and expands the nation's access to resources used in the manufacture of high-tech products, clean energy systems, and many emerging industries.

Rare earth oxides are widely used in magnetic materials, phosphors, and other critical applications, serving as indispensable elements for modern industry and high-end manufacturing. Often dubbed the "vitamins of modern industry," rare earth elements possess unique optical properties, with some exhibiting strong magnetic characteristics that make them irreplaceable in new energy, new materials, aerospace, and more.

In electric vehicles, drive motors require high-energy rare earth magnet materials to enhance efficiency and power density. In optical fiber communications, signal amplifiers rely on erbium and other rare earth minerals to ensure stable transmission.

And, fluorite is the primary source of fluorine for refrigerants and nonstick coatings. Barite serves as a weighting agent in oil drilling and as a contrast agent for medical X-rays, while antimony is widely used as a flame retardant in electronics, aircraft, and high-speed trains.

Chinese industry experts noted that the breakthrough at Maoniuping will enhance China's light rare earth resource security, injecting "resource confidence" into the development of strategic emerging industries, the Science and Technology Daily reported.

The finding adds to a series of exploration successes in recent years, which also included the discovery of a large antimony deposit in Dangchang county, Northwest China's Gansu Province.

Industry insiders believe the latest discovery holds significant importance. According to public data, the Bayan Obo mine has proven industrial reserves of 44 million tons of rare earths, accounting for 83.7 percent of the national total. 

China is the world's largest producer of rare earths, accounting for more than 80 percent of global annual rare earths output, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 


Global Times