A super-large rare-earth deposit has been discovered in Guangxi; rare earths are often referred to as “industrial gold.”

    Original Title: Guangxi Discovers a Super-Large Rare-Earth Deposit; Rare Earths Are Often Dubbed “Industrial Gold”

A super-large rare-earth deposit has been discovered in Guangxi.

Sufficient for mining operations at an annual output of 2 million tons of ore for more than 100 years.

Nanning, Guangxi News Network–Guangxi Daily (Reporter Tang Guangsheng, Correspondent Man Xingxian) — According to the Autonomous Region’s Department of Land and Resources, after four years of exploration, a super‑large rare‑earth deposit has been discovered in the Dazhou mining area of Pingnan County. The preliminary survey results were recognized by the Geological Society of China as one of the “Top Ten Geological Exploration Achievements” for 2016.

According to available information, the rare‑earth mineral reconnaissance survey of the Dazhou mining area in Pingnan County was one of the third batch of large‑scale geological and mineral exploration projects in Guangxi for 2010, undertaken by the Sixth Geological Team of Guangxi. Fieldwork commenced in April 2011; following two extensions in 2011 and 2013, the final report was submitted in June 2015. The project delineated a total of 16 weathered‑crust ion‑adsorption type rare‑earth ore bodies and identified substantial industrial‑grade rare‑earth resources, reaching the scale of an extra‑large rare‑earth deposit. These resources are sufficient to sustain mining operations at a capacity of 2 million tonnes of ore per year for more than 100 years.

According to reports, rare earth elements are often referred to as “industrial gold” and are widely used in metallurgy, petrochemicals, glass and ceramics, and new materials, playing a particularly important role in agricultural development. Research has shown that rare earth elements can increase chlorophyll content in plants, enhance photosynthesis, and promote root development. The newly discovered rare earth deposit will provide robust resource support for the development of China’s strategic emerging industries.