China plans to increase its prospecting and exploration activities. The Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources hopes to locate new reserves that amount to 13-15% of the present total and double its current silver and gold reserves by 2000. Copper is on top of the search list for nonferrous metals. Currently 50% of the metal is imported for annual consumption, and this situation is expected to last till the end of the century. As sylvite, diamonds and chromium are in great demand, the government is preparing special plans to search for them.
“Based on projected mineral demand, this plan is made to ease supply shortages and power a stable economic growth in the long run,” says Yu Hongzhang, director of the ministry’s geological survey department.
More than 75% of China’s industrial raw materials and 95% of its energy supply come from the country’s mineral resources.
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