Minerals in China list. Mineral resources of China. Minerals of the country

Terrain and Mineral Resources China is one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world. It is mined here: coal, oil, magnesium and iron ores, tungsten, copper, graphite and tin. Within the Sinai shield are concentrated the country's largest deposits of coal (which in its origin dates back to the Jurassic period), oil (mainly of the Mesozoic and Meso-Cenozoic period). Deposits of non-ferrous and rare metals, the largest of which is the tungsten deposit, which ranks first in size in the world, are located within the South China massif, antimony, tin, mercury, molybdenum, manganese, lead, zinc, copper and etc. And in the Tien Shan, Mongolian Altai, Kunlun, Khingan there are deposits of gold and other precious metals.

Agro-climatic resources. One of the main factors affecting the climatic features of China is, first of all, the country's position within three zones: temperate, subtropical and tropical. In addition, the large size of the mainland and inland regions, as well as the coastal position of the eastern and southern regions, has a significant impact.

average temperature January fluctuates from -4 and below in the North (and in the North of Greater Khingan up to -30) and up to +18 in the South. In summer, the temperature regime is more diverse: the average July temperature in the North is +20, and in the South +28.

The annual precipitation decreases as one moves from the Southeast (2000 mm in the Southeast, mainland China, 2600 mm on Hainan Island) to the Northwest (up to 5 mm or less in the Tarim Plain in places).

By temperature regime in China, the southern and northern parts are distinguished. The first - with a temperate and warm climate even in winter, and the second - with cold winters and a sharp temperature contrast between summer and winter. According to the annual amount of precipitation, the eastern, relatively humid, and western arid zones are distinguished.

Land resources. In many ways, the climatic and relief features of the country have led to a wide variety of soils in China. The western part is characterized by desert-steppe complexes. Outside the Tibetan part, chestnut and brown soils of dry steppes predominate, as well as dry-brown deserts, with significant areas of stony or solonchak areas. characteristic feature This part of China is dominated by gray soils, mountain chestnut and mountain meadow soils. In the Tibetan Plateau, the soils of high-altitude deserts are more common.

For the eastern part of China, soils associated with forest associations are typical, and the most common soils in this territory are: soddy-podzolic, brown forest soils in the mountains, and meadow dark-colored soils on the plains of the Northeast. Zheltozems, krasnozems and laterites, mainly in mountain varieties, are common in the south of the country.

In many respects, the peculiarities of the formation of China's soil resources were influenced by the centuries-old cultivation of the country's most ancient agricultural crop, rice, which led to soil changes and the formation of, in fact, special varieties, such as "marshy rice" in the South and "Eastern carbonate" in Loess plateau.

Water resources. The features of the relief were reflected, first of all, in the distribution of the country's water resources. The most humid are the Southern and Eastern parts, which have a dense and highly branched system. The largest rivers in China - the Yangtze and the Yellow River - flow in these areas. They also include: Amur, Sungari, Yalohe, Xijiang, Tsagno. the rivers of eastern China are mostly high-water and navigable, and their regime is characterized by uneven seasonal flow - minimum expenses in winter and maximum in summer. Floods are not uncommon on the plains, caused by rapid spring and summer snowmelt.

The western, arid part of China is poor in rivers. Basically, they are shallow, navigation on them is poorly developed. Most of the rivers in this area do not have a runoff to the sea, and their flow is episodic. The largest rivers in this region are Tarim, Black Irtysh, Ili, Edzin-Gol. The largest rivers in the country, carrying their waters to the ocean, are blocked in the Tibetan Plateau.

China is rich not only in rivers, but also in lakes. There are two main types:

tectonic and water erosion. The former are located in the Central Asian part of the country, and the latter in the Yangtze River system. In the western part of China, the largest lakes are: Lop Nor, Kununor, Ebi-Nur. Lakes are especially numerous in the Tibetan Plateau. Most of the flat lakes, as well as rivers, are shallow, many are without drainage and are saline. In the eastern part of China, the largest ones are Dongtinghu, Poyanghu, Taihu, located in the Yangtze River basin; Hongzuohu and Gaoihu - in the Yellow River basin. During high water, many of these lakes become the country's natural reservoirs.

Flora and fauna geographical position China, thanks to which it is located in three zones at once: temperate, subtropical and tropical, influenced not only the formation of climatic conditions, relief and soil resources, but, above all, the diversity and richness of the country's flora and fauna. It is no coincidence that the flora and fauna of China has more than 30 thousand species. various plants. It is also characteristic that out of 5 thousand tree and shrub species, about 50 are found only in China. There are also numerous relics of ancient flora. Diversity forest species China ranks first in the world. Here grow such valuable technical species as poppy and tallow trees, tung, camellia oleifera and sumac.

The country distinguishes two main parts according to the nature of the vegetation cover: eastern and western. In the eastern part, forest types of vegetation are more common; to the north of the Qinling Range, summer-green broad-leaved forests extend. various types. In the central part of eastern China there are large plains, the forests are almost reduced here, and the lands are plowed up.

In the Northeast, taiga-type forests are widespread. Here you can find pines, birches, daurce larch, spruce, oak, maple, cedar, cedar, hornbeam, walnut and even Amur velvet.

In the South and Southeast of China, evergreen subtropical forests stretch, in which you can find cypress, amphora laurel, lacquer and tallow trees, as well as the relict Queeningham tree. Tropical forests in their original form are preserved only on the island of Hainan.

One of the features flora China is becoming a contrast between the forest and desert, mostly saline and completely devoid of vegetation areas of the western part. The number of animal species is not large here, although animal world China is rich and diverse. It has about 1,800 species of land animals only. The most common and numerous are deer, elk, leopards, brown bears, wild boars, monkeys, porcupines, gibbons, armadillos and even Indian elephants. The South-Eastern territory of the country is richest in animal species.

Mineral resources of China (PRC). China is not a leader in the possession of mineral resources:

oil production - 160 million tons or 4.73% of world production, iron ore - 38 million tons, production of non-ferrous metals: aluminum - 9.1% of world production, copper - 8.8% of world production, lead and zinc - 14.7% of world production.

However, China occupies one of the leading places in the production of fertilizers, although it is a country with an average level of development of the chemical industry.

China has deposits of almost 150 world-famous minerals. Geological surveys have confirmed the reserves of 136 types of minerals, of which more than 20 are considered valuable.

Energy minerals. Deposits of energy minerals - coal, oil, natural gas, as well as oil shale and radioactive elements, uranium and thorium - are proven. Coal is the main source of energy in China; coal reserves account for almost 1/3 of the world's deposits. By the end of 1985, coal reserves reached 769.18 billion tons, and its production amounted to 800 million tons per year (2nd place in the world). Coal can be found in many areas, but most of all - in the north (Northeast, North and Northwest China). Shanxi Province, where coal reserves account for 30% of the country's total, is known as the "home of coal." Another important source energy in China - oil. Since the 50s. more than 300 oil and gas deposits and 1,400 oil and gas bearing structures were discovered; the main oil fields are in Daqing, Dagang, Shengli, Jizhong (Central Hebei), Liaohe, Jiangsu, Zhongyuan (Central Plain) and Karamai. Oil exploration in offshore areas in last years made it possible to discover 6 large gas fields, the most important of which is the East China Sea basin.

Black metals. Proved reserves include metals such as iron, manganese, chromium, vanadium and titanium. All of them, with the exception of titanium, are in sufficient quantity, although high-grade iron and manganese ore are few. Iron reserves are estimated at 49.6 billion tons, of which 2/3 are sedimentary metamorphic ore and igneous ore; half of the stock is located in Anshan, Liaoning Province. Vanadium-titanium magnetite is available in Panzhihua, Sichuan Province. Reserves of manganese, mostly of sedimentary and accumulative types, are estimated at about 400 million tons and are found mainly in Guangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Hubei and Sichuan.

Confirmed reserves of copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, tin, molybdenum, mercury, antimony, bismuth, gold, silver and 6 metals belonging to the platinum group. In terms of proven reserves of tungsten, antimony, zinc, tin, molybdenum, lead and mercury, China occupies one of the first places in the world. Copper ore is found almost everywhere, but its largest amount lies in the valley of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, in the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan, the largest copper mine is located in Dexing, Jiangxi Province. Lead and zinc, which are often associated with silver, are found mainly in the Nanling Mountains, western Yunnan, southern Shaanxi, Lanshan and the northern tip of the Qaidam Basin, bauxite deposits - mainly in central Shanxi, Gongxian County, Henan Province, Zibo, Shandong Province, Xiuwen Guizhou Province and Pingguo Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. China has the richest reserves of tungsten ores, more than any other country; they make up more than half of the world's deposits. Tungsten ore reserves, concentrated in the south of Jiangxi, the north of Guangdong and the east of Hunan, account for more than half of the country's total reserves. Tin occurs mainly in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan; the largest mine is located in Gejiu (Yunnan) - "the tin capital of the world." Tin mines are part of the famous tin belt around the Pacific Ocean. China ranks first in the world in antimony reserves. Antimony deposits are located mainly in Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan; the largest mine is the Xikuangshan mine in Xinhua (Hunan). Mercury is concentrated at the Sichuan-Guizhou-Hunan border. 3/4 of all the country's reserves are mercury deposits in the northeastern part of Guizhou, which is therefore called the "mercury province". Gold, mostly mountainous, is found mainly in the Shandong Peninsula, western Hunan, northern Heilongjiang, eastern Jilin, central Inner Mongolia, and northern Xinjiang.

Rare metals, rare earth metals and minerals with dispersed elements. China is proud to have rich reserves of 8 rare metals, 10 rare earth metals and 10 minerals with dispersed elements. Its rare earth reserves are much larger than anywhere else in the world, and the impure rare earth reserves at the iron mine in Bayan Obo (Inner Mongolia) are the largest in the world.

non-metallic ores. The subsoil of China contains 73 non-metallic minerals with proven reserves, including 9 minerals used as auxiliary raw materials in metallurgy, and 23 minerals used as raw materials for the chemical industry. The most important of these are phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, asbestos, graphite, mica, gypsum and kaolin, as well as gems, jade and ornamental stones.6

Relief and minerals

China is one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world. It is mined here: coal, oil, magnesium and iron ores, tungsten, copper, graphite and tin. Within the Sinai shield are concentrated the country's largest deposits of coal (which in its origin dates back to the Jurassic period), oil (mainly of the Mesozoic and Meso-Cenozoic period). Deposits of non-ferrous and rare metals, the largest of which is the tungsten deposit, which ranks first in size in the world, are located within the South China massif, antimony, tin, mercury, molybdenum, manganese, lead, zinc, copper and etc. And in the Tien Shan, Mongolian Altai, Kunlun, Khingan there are deposits of gold and other precious metals.

Agro-climatic resources

One of the main factors affecting the climatic features of China is, first of all, the country's position within three zones: temperate, subtropical and tropical. In addition, the large size of the mainland and inland regions, as well as the coastal position of the eastern and southern regions, has a significant impact.

The average January temperature ranges from -4 and below in the North (and in the North of Greater Khingan to -30) and up to +18 in the South. In summer, the temperature regime is more diverse: the average July temperature in the North is +20, and in the South +28.

The annual precipitation decreases as one moves from the Southeast (2000 mm in the Southeast, mainland China, 2600 mm on Hainan Island) to the Northwest (up to 5 mm or less in the Tarim Plain in places).

According to the temperature regime in China, the southern and northern parts are distinguished. The first - with a temperate and warm climate even in winter, and the second - with cold winters and a sharp temperature contrast between summer and winter. According to the annual amount of precipitation, the eastern, relatively humid, and western arid zones are distinguished.

Land resources

In many ways, the climatic and relief features of the country have led to a wide variety of soils in China. The western part is characterized by desert-steppe complexes. Outside the Tibetan part, chestnut and brown soils of dry steppes predominate, as well as dry-brown deserts, with significant areas of stony or solonchak areas. A characteristic feature of this part of China is the predominance of gray soils, mountain chestnut and mountain meadow soils. In the Tibetan Plateau, the soils of high-altitude deserts are more common.

For the eastern part of China, soils associated with forest associations are typical, and the most common soils in this territory are: soddy-podzolic, brown forest soils in the mountains, and meadow dark-colored soils on the plains of the Northeast. Zheltozems, krasnozems and laterites, mainly in mountain varieties, are common in the south of the country.

In many respects, the peculiarities of the formation of China's soil resources were influenced by the centuries-old cultivation of the country's most ancient agricultural crop, rice, which led to soil changes and the formation of, in fact, special varieties, such as "marshy rice" in the South and "Eastern carbonate" in Loess plateau.

Water resources

The features of the relief were reflected, first of all, in the distribution of the country's water resources. The most humid are the Southern and Eastern parts, which have a dense and highly branched system. The largest rivers in China - the Yangtze and the Yellow River - flow in these areas. They also include: Amur, Sungari, Yalohe, Xijiang, Tsagno. the rivers of eastern China are for the most part full of water and navigable, and their regime is characterized by uneven seasonal flow - minimum flows in winter and maximum in summer. Floods are not uncommon on the plains, caused by rapid spring and summer snowmelt.

The western, arid part of China is poor in rivers. Basically, they are shallow, navigation on them is poorly developed. Most of the rivers in this area do not have a runoff to the sea, and their flow is episodic. The largest rivers in this region are Tarim, Black Irtysh, Ili, Edzin-Gol. The largest rivers in the country, carrying their waters to the ocean, are blocked in the Tibetan Plateau.

China is rich not only in rivers, but also in lakes. There are two main types:

tectonic and water erosion. The former are located in the Central Asian part of the country, and the latter in the Yangtze River system. In the western part of China, the largest lakes are: Lop Nor, Kununor, Ebi-Nur. Lakes are especially numerous in the Tibetan Plateau. Most of the flat lakes, as well as rivers, are shallow, many are without drainage and are saline. In the eastern part of China, the largest ones are Dongtinghu, Poyanghu, Taihu, located in the Yangtze River basin; Hongzuohu and Gaoihu - in the Yellow River basin. During high water, many of these lakes become the country's natural reservoirs.

Flora and fauna

The special geographical position of China, due to which it is located in three zones at once: temperate, subtropical and tropical, influenced not only the formation of climatic conditions, relief and soil resources, but, above all, the diversity and richness of the country's flora and fauna. It is no coincidence that the flora and fauna of China has more than 30 thousand species of various plants. It is also characteristic that out of 5 thousand tree and shrub species, about 50 are found only in China. There are also numerous relics of ancient flora. In terms of the diversity of forest species, China ranks first in the world. Here grow such valuable technical species as poppy and tallow trees, tung, camellia oleifera and sumac.

The country distinguishes two main parts according to the nature of the vegetation cover: eastern and western. In the eastern part, forest types of vegetation are more common; to the north of the Qinling Range, summer-green broad-leaved forests of various types extend. In the central part of eastern China there are large plains, the forests are almost reduced here, and the lands are plowed up.

In the Northeast, taiga-type forests are widespread. Here you can find pines, birches, daurce larch, spruce, oak, maple, cedar, cedar, hornbeam, walnut and even Amur velvet.

In the South and Southeast of China, evergreen subtropical forests stretch, in which you can find cypress, amphora laurel, lacquer and tallow trees, as well as the relict Queeningham tree. Tropical forests in their original form are preserved only on the island of Hainan.

One of the features of the flora of China is the contrast between the forest and desert, mostly saline and completely devoid of vegetation areas of the western part. The number of animal species is not large here either, although the animal world of China is rich and diverse. It has about 1,800 species of land animals only. The most common and numerous are deer, elk, leopards, brown bears, wild boars, monkeys, porcupines, gibbons, armadillos and even Indian elephants. The South-Eastern territory of the country is richest in animal species.

CHINA, Chinese People's Republic(Chinese Zhonghua Renmin Gunheguo), is a state in the central and eastern. The area is 9.6 million km 2. Population (including the island of Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong) 1032 million people. (1982). The capital is Beijing. Official language- Chinese. The monetary unit is the yuan. China is a member of the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

General characteristics of the economy. National income in 1982 at current prices was 424.7 billion yuan. In the structure of national income, 42.2% falls on industry, 44.6% - on Agriculture, 4.6% - for capital construction, 3.1% - for transport and 5.5% - for trade. largest specific gravity in the sectoral structure of China's industry, there are mechanical engineering (22%), chemical (11.8%), textile (15.5%) and food (13.6%) industries. The share of mining industries is about 7%. China is a major exporter of minerals. In the structure of the fuel and energy balance in 1982 (in terms of consumption), 73.9% accounted for oil, 18.7%, 2.6%, and hydroelectric power 4.8%. Electricity production 327.7 billion kWh (1982). The length of railways is 50.5 thousand km (of which 1.8 thousand km are electrified), roads 907 thousand km, inland waterways 108.6 thousand km. Main seaports: Shanghai, Tianjin with Xingang, Dalian, Guangzhou with Huangpu, Zhanjiang.

Nature. The territory of China is characterized by complex orography and significant height amplitudes. Three areas are clearly distinguished: the Tibetan Plateau and the mountain structure framing it in the southwest, the belt of the Central Asian plains and plateaus, stretching from west to east north of Tibet, the lowland plains of eastern China with marginal mountains. The Tibetan Plateau is a complex of vast Jangtang plains, drainless plateaus of Central Tibet, a number of internal ranges. The highlands are framed by high mountain systems: in the south and west - the Himalayas and Karakoram, in the north and east - Kunlun, Nanshan and the Sino-Tibetan mountains. Between Kunlun and Nanshan there is a vast tectonic Tsaidam depression, the bottom of which is located at an altitude of about 2700 m. The relief of China is characterized by rounded peaks, flat watersheds, and strongly dissected slopes; karst forms are common.

The belt of the Central Asian plains and plateaus includes the Tarim and Dzhungar plains, separated by the ridges of the eastern Tien Shan, the Turfan depression, the plains and plateaus of the Gashun Gobi, Alashan and Ordos, separated from each other by the Beishan, Alashan and Yinshan mountains, the plains of the eastern Gobi and Barga. Heights of about 1200 m prevail here; the bottom of the Turfan depression lies below sea level (-154 m). The region of the low plains of eastern China stretches from north to south mainly along the coast of the Yellow Sea and includes the lowlands of Sanjiang, North Khankai, Songliao, the Great Plain of China, the plain of the basins of the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and areas along the sea coast and along river valleys. The plains are framed by marginal mountains; Rehe, Yanshan, Taihangshan, Nanling, Yunnan, partly by Khingan and the Manchurian-Korean mountains.

In the western part of China, the climate is sharply continental, temperate; in the Tibetan Plateau, it is cold (the average temperature in January is from -10 to -25°C). Precipitation on the plains and plateaus is 50-250 mm per year, no snow cover is formed. In the eastern part of China, the climate is monsoonal, north of the Qinling Mountains - temperate, between the Qinling and Nanling mountains - subtropical, in the southern provinces of the country - tropical. The average temperature in January is from -24°С in the north to 10°С in the south, precipitation from 400-800 mm in the north to 2000-2500 mm or more in the south; maximum in summer. The network of high-water rivers is widely developed. There are numerous waterfalls in the highlands. The largest rivers in the world are the Yangtze, Huang He and Xijiang rivers. They have a monsoon regime with summer floods and are used mainly for irrigation and navigation. Numerous small lakes, including drainless ones with salt water. The plains of the eastern part of the country are mostly cultivated, forests have been preserved in the mountains (occupy about 8% of the territory of China): mixed and coniferous temperate zones in the north, broad-leaved subtropical and multi-tiered tropical forests in the south. Deserts (Takla-Makan, Gobi, etc.), semi-deserts and steppes predominate in the west and north-west. Deflationary landforms, yardangs, are developed here. On the Tibetan Plateau, alpine steppes and cold stony steppes are mainly developed.

Geological structure. On the territory of China are located the ancient Chinese (total area 4.3 million km 2) and its folded frame. As part of the platform, three megablocks, often considered as independent platforms, are distinguished:, and Tarim. Their Early Precambrian crystalline basement is composed of various metamorphic rocks (migmatites, metamorphic schists, quartzites, etc.) and comes to the surface within the Sino-Korean shield and a number of massifs. The basement of the Tarim and South China megablocks also includes Late Precambrian (up to 700 Ma) metamorphic formations.

. In hydrogeological terms, the territory of China is divided into the eastern (region of inland flow) and the western (drain basin) parts.

In the area of ​​intracontinental runoff, a number of closed artesian structures are distinguished, which are unloaded as a result of evaporation. A sporadic horizon of fissure groundwater is formed in the bedrocks of the depressions framing. Flow rates of springs are below 1 l/s and only in zones of tectonic faults increase up to 5-20 l/s. In river valleys, the aquifer of Quaternary deposits is of great importance. The depth of wells is from 2 to 30 m, flow rates are from 1 to 20 l/s. Mineralization of water up to 1 g/l, the composition is bicarbonate-calcium. In internal parts artesian basins, the main aquifers (at a depth of 1-15 m) are represented by Pliocene and Quaternary proluvial and alluvial deposits. Debits (l / s) of springs up to 10-15, wells 5-10, wells 10-60. Fresh (0.5-1 g/l) bicarbonate-calcium waters are developed in the peripheral parts of the basins and in the near-channel parts of the river valleys. As you approach the central parts of the basin, the waters become brackish, and then salty.

In mountainous-folded structures in the area of ​​the Pacific Ocean drainage basin, aquifers of carbonate rocks of different ages are of the greatest importance. The flow rates of springs, depending on the degree of their karsting, vary from 1-2 to 2000 l/s, sometimes reaching 10,000 l/s. Springs with flow rates of 1-3 l/s are associated with the zone of surface fracturing of non-carbonate rocks, in zones of tectonic disturbances up to 5-10 l/s. The mineralization of water is below 1 g/l, the composition is bicarbonate-calcium. In the inner parts of the artesian basins of eastern China, the main resources of fresh groundwater are associated with Quaternary deposits of various genesis. Debits (l / s) of wells 8-10, wells up to 60, specific 5-10. The mineralization of water is 0.3-0.8 g/l, the composition is carbonate-calcium-sodium.

In the North China Basin (the area is about 200 thousand km 2 , the thickness of alluvium is up to 1000 m), natural resources are estimated at 3.10 9 m 3 /year.

The initial total recoverable oil resources of China on land are estimated at 10-15 billion tons, of which about 4 billion tons have been explored and more than 1.3 billion tons have been extracted. China's offshore oil resources are estimated at 4 billion tons. Their development is practically just beginning. Small deposits have been discovered in western Bohaiwan, and commercial oil and gas flows have been obtained in the South China Sea. Explored gas reserves do not exceed 1 trillion. m 3. More than 75% of the explored oil reserves are concentrated in the east, in the Songliao and North China basins, 25% are in Central and Western China (the Nanshan, Qaidam and Dzhungar basins). On the territory of China, more than 50 sedimentary basins with a total area of ​​about 5 million km 2 are distinguished, filled with Upper Proterozoic-Paleozoic marine and Mesozoic-Cenozoic predominantly continental lacustrine-fluvial deposits. In 20 basins, industrial oil and gas potential has been established and more than 160 oil fields and 60 gas fields have been discovered. The main oil and gas complexes are Mesozoic and Cenozoic. At a depth of up to 1 km, 23% fall, 1-3 km - 58% and 3-5 km - 19% of the initial total recoverable oil and gas resources. The largest oil field in China is Daqing, with recoverable proven reserves in the Lower Cretaceous deposits of at least 1.5 billion tons. The main number of gas fields was discovered in Central China (there are 60 fields in the Sichuan basin with reserves of 0.8-1 trillion m 3) .

In terms of coal reserves, KHP ranks third in the world after the CCCP and the USA. See map.

Stocks are not exactly established. According to official data, they amount to more than 781.5 billion tons, of which about 250 billion tons have been explored: 97% of the reserves are represented by stone, often (the basin of the Great Plain of China, or the Great Yellow River basin, the basins of the Yangtze, Ganjiang, Datong, Hegan-Shuangyashan , Urumqi, Turfan-Khami, etc.). Most of the coal deposits in the northern part are of Carboniferous age, and in the south of the Upper Permian; Triassic basins are known in southwestern China (the Xiaguan basin), and Jurassic basins are known in northern and southern China (the Ganjiang, Jixi, Tonghua, Lanzhou-Xining, Urumqi, and other basins). Cenozoic coals are distributed along the Pacific coast and the northeastern part of the country. Hard coals are characterized by: lower calorific value of 27-30 MJ/kg, significant fluctuations in ash content from 3.6 to 43%, volatile content from 3% (Daqingshan deposit) to 43% (Xiaguan). Hard coals are represented by all types: from fatty (Daqingshan) to anthracites (Shanxi, Jingxing, etc.). The largest coking coal and anthracite basin is the basin of the Great Chinese Plain (Great Yellow River basin), in the Yangtze-Huang River interfluve, composed of Permian coal-bearing deposits. The central part of the basin has been studied very poorly, along its periphery there are 14 large coal-bearing regions, including Jingxing, Fengfeng, Pingdingshan, Huainan, Huaibei, Kailuan, etc. The number of coal seams varies from 5-7 (Fynfeng, Huaibei) to 20 ), sometimes 47 (Pingdingshan). The reserves of each region are estimated at 2-3 billion tons. In the northeast of China, there is a basin of hard coking coal Hegang-Shuangyashan, composed of Permian and Jurassic coal-bearing strata, containing up to 10 working seams with a total thickness of up to 75 m (reserves up to 5 billion tons ). In the north of the country there is a large Ordos coal basin, composed of Permian and Jurassic coal-bearing strata. The basin's reserves exceed 10 billion tons of high-quality coking coal. In the south are the large basins of Tangxing and Sichuan. In the Tanxing basin, 18 deposits are distinguished (each with reserves of more than 1 billion tons). The number of working coal seams is about 50. There are three coal-bearing regions in the Sichuan basin: Chongqing, Mingjian and Chengdu with total reserves of more than 10 billion tons. The number of coal seams is up to 5 with a thickness of 2-4 m. the Turfan-Khami and Urumqi basins, as well as the unexplored Aksu-Kucha and Tarim basins of Jurassic age. Each of the basins includes several deposits of hard, sometimes coking coal.

Brown coal deposits (about 3% of explored reserves) are confined mainly to Neogene coal-bearing strata; Jurassic brown coal deposits are Chzhalainor in the north, Maoming in the south, and Paleogene age - Fushun in the northeast of the country. Characteristics of coals: lower calorific value 8.5-10.5 MJ/kg, ash content from 5 to 10%, volatile yield 25-60%. The number of working seams is from 2 to 11 with a thickness of 1.5-20 m (Chzhalaynor). Bogs occupy about 10 million hectares (they contain 30 billion m 3 of peat). About 1 million hectares of swamps are concentrated in the northern part of China. Bogs usually contain a surface layer of peat less than 1 m thick.

Iron ore deposits are located mostly in the northeastern and northern regions. The share of ferruginous quartzites accounts for 25%, skarn and hydrothermal ores - 23%, sedimentary ores (such as red oolitic iron ore) - 39%, igneous ores - 2% and other types - 11%. The largest reserves of ferruginous quartzites have been identified in the Anshan-Benxi, Luanxian, Wutai and Godian-Yiyuan iron ore regions, in the Xuefynshan and Tiatunbo and Xinyuy-Pingxiang deposits in Hunan province. The ore sequence (thickness from 100 to 300 m) usually includes 4-6 layers of ferruginous quartzites containing 28-34% Fe, and in lenses of rich ores up to 49-56% Fe. The main ore mineral is magnetite. Rich ores make up 13-18% of the reserves of large deposits. Hydrothermal and contact-metasomatic deposits are known in many regions of China. Of great importance is the magnetite-rare-earth deposit of Bayan-Obo (autonomous region of Inner Mongolia). Four lenticular ore bodies (200-250 m thick, up to 1.3 km long) are composed of magnetite, hematite, martite, rare earth minerals and fluorite in the oxidation zone. In rich ores, the content of Fe is more than 45%, in medium - 30-45% (60% of reserves) and in poor - 20-30%. The content of rare earth elements is about 8%. The hydrothermal type includes the Shilu deposits (Hainan Island) and the Maanshan group of deposits (Anhui Province). The Dae group (Hubei province), Teshanzhang (Guangdong province) and others are classified as contact-metasomatic deposits. In the Daye group (reserves about 1 billion tons), the most typical Teshan deposit is formed by several which contain 54-57% Fe, 0.5-0.6% Cu and 0.03% Co. Sedimentary deposits are widespread throughout China and are confined to various parts of the stratigraphic section: from the Upper Proterozoic to the Paleogene. Most of these ores contain 40-60% Fe and are composed mainly of oolitic hematites, less often siderite and limonite. Upper Proterozoic deposits (Xuanlong subtype) are common in northern China and are formed by 2-3 horizons of oolitic ores several meters thick (Longyan deposit); Upper Devonian deposits (Ningxian subtype) are typical of central and southwestern China and are composed of several layers of oolitic ores 1–2 m thick (Jianshi deposit); Middle Carboniferous deposits (Shanxi subtype) in the provinces of Shanxi and Shandong are represented by numerous deposits of irregular shape.

Ores are composed of hematite and limonite (Fe content 40-50%). The Lower Jurassic deposits (Qijian subtype) are known in the provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou and are represented by sheet-like deposits composed of hematite and siderite (Fe content 30-50%). Igneous vanadium-bearing ilmenite-magnetite deposits (Panzhihua, Damiao, Heershan, etc.) are represented by lenses of disseminated ores in gabbroid rocks.

Deposits of manganese ores are located in different provinces of the country. Almost all deposits are confined to sedimentary deposits of the Upper Proterozoic, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian or to modern weathering crusts. The main deposits of the Upper Proterozoic age are Wafangzi, Linyuan, Jinxian and others (Liaoning Province), Xiangtan (Hunan Province) and Fangcheng (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region). In the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Devonian deposits of Mugui, Laibin, etc. are known. The deposits are represented by carbonate ore beds with a thickness of about 2 m (Mn content 15-20%) and boulder ores in the weathering zone of deposits up to 4 m thick, composed of psilomelane and brownite (Mn content 27-35%). Rich oxide ores with Mn content from 25 to 40% are confined to the oxidation zone (Xiangtan, Zunyi, etc.).

The identified reserves of titanium ores are associated with large igneous deposits of Panzhihua, Taihechan, Heershan (Sichuan province), Damiao (Hebei province) and ilmenite-rutile placers (Guangdong province). Titanium-magnetite deposits are represented by small lenses of massive and disseminated vanadium-bearing ilmenite-magnetite ores in massifs of basic and ultrabasic rocks. In rich massive ores, the content of Fe is 42-45%, TiO 2 10-11%, V 2 O 5 0.3-0.4%; in poor disseminated - Fe 20-30%, TiO 2 6-7%, V 2 O 5 0.2%. In ilmenite and rutile placers (Baoting, Xinglong, Kenlong, etc.), the thickness of industrial sands is 4-5 m, the content of ilmenite is 40-50 kg/m 3 .

Reserves of chrome ores have not been sufficiently explored. A large number of relatively large massifs of ultramafic rocks of dunite-harzburgite composition are known in the country, located within the extended folded belts of the Caledonides, Variscides and Alpids of northern and western China, forming discontinuous bands up to 1500 km long. Dunite areas of these massifs are associated with small bodies of massive or densely disseminated ores (Cr 2 O 3 content 28-47%). Main deposits: Solunshan, Hegeaola, Khada (autonomous region of Inner Mongolia). In the chromite region (Qiliangshan Range), among dunites, small deposits of Xitsa (Gansu Province), Sancha, Shalyuhe (Qinghai Province) have been explored. The content of Cr 2 About 3 33-48%, sometimes up to 58%. Industrial deposits of chromium ores Dongqiao, Zedang have been discovered in Tibet. In the north-west of the country, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Saltokhai deposit was discovered with a 35% content of Cr 2 O 3 in ores.

Significant reserves of aluminum raw materials are represented by bauxites, alunites and aluminous shales. Of the bauxite deposits (Paleozoic and Mesozoic in age), the deposits of the Carboniferous age (Zibo, Gongxian, Boshan, Xiuwen - Shandong Province and the Kunming Group), confined to the margins of coal-bearing basins and occurring at the base of coal-bearing strata, are of the greatest importance. Most of the bauxites High Quality: Al 2 O 3 content 50-60%. The second production of aluminum is alunite, the most important deposits of which are Fanshan (Zhejiang Province), Lujiang (Anhui Province), Taipei (Taiwan Island) and others are characterized by large reserves (Al 2 O 3 content 26%, K 2 O 6.6%). The reserves of aluminous shale (Al 2 O 3 content 45-70%, SiO 2 19-35%) are very significant: deposits of Yantai, Liaoyang, Benxi, Fuxian (Liaoning Province), many deposits are in Guangdong Province.

Or with cassiterite and wolframite (Lianhuashan, Guangdong Province) are characterized by a WO 3 content of 0.3 to 0.7%.

Gold deposits are of various genetic types; actually gold deposits are numerous, but small in terms of reserves. The main reserves are associated with large porphyry copper deposits, the complex ores of which contain 0.1-0.5 g/t of gold. Alluvial deposits in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, and Hunan are of great importance. Silver is present in polymetallic, sometimes in porphyry copper ores. Its content varies from a few to 10-20 g/t, rarely more.

In China, about 600 deposits and manifestations of copper ores are known, belonging mainly to pyrite, copper-porphyry, magmatic (copper-nickel), hydrothermal and skarn types. Of subordinate importance are cuprous sandstones. Copper pyrite deposits (Baiyingchang, Gansu Province) are characterized by the following contents: Cu 0.4-2%, S 40-48%, Pb up to 1%, Zn up to 2%, Au 1 g/t, Ag 10-16 g/ T. Copper-nickel deposits are characterized by Cu content of about 0.5%, Ni 1% (deposits Limahe, Sichuan province; Taok, Shandong province; Boshutaizi, Jinchuan, Gansu province, etc.). Among the hydrothermal vein deposits, the deposits of the Dongchuan and Yimyn group (Yunnan Province) are of the greatest importance. Ores of deposits of this type contain 0.3-1.9% copper. Among the skarn deposits, the largest are Tongguanshan, Shouwanfyn, as well as the Daie group of copper-iron ore deposits. The content of Cu is from 0.6 to 2.3%, sometimes Co is present. The largest porphyry copper deposits are Dexing (Jiangxi Province), Zhongtiaoshan (Shanxi Province) and Erdaocha-Tonghua (Liaoning Province). Their ores contain: Cu 0.6-1.0%, Mo 0.01%, Au up to 1 g/t, Ag 10-12 g/t. China has significant reserves of molybdenum ores. The main deposits are of skarn and hydrothermal (vein-disseminated and vein) types. The Yangjiazhanzi skarn deposit (Liaoning Province) is the largest in China. Its ores contain 0.14% Mo, in some areas - lead, zinc, and in others - silver. Vein-disseminated (molybdenum-copper-porphyry) deposits of Zhongtyaoshan and others are known. %, WO 3 0.1-0.4%).

The first deposits of nickel ores were discovered in China in the late 1950s. Several dozen deposits are known. The most important deposits are of igneous (liquation), hydrothermal types and weathering crusts. The copper-nickel deposits of Limahe and others (Sichuan Province), Taok (Shandong Province), Jinchuan, Boshutaizi (Gansu Province) and others are characterized by a Ni:Cu ratio of 1:1 to 2:1. In addition to nickel and copper, platinoids are usually present. Hydrothermal deposits include the deposit of the five-element formation (Cu-Ni-Bi-Ag-U) of Guizihada (Sichuan Province) and sheet-like bodies of vein-disseminated copper-nickel ores - the Yimyn group (Yunnan Province), Wangbaoben (Liaoning Province). The ores of such deposits are usually complex and contain (%): Ni 0.6-2.5; Cu 0.8-1.3, as well as Mo, Bi, Pb, Ag, Cd. In iron-nickel deposits of weathering crusts (Mojiang in Yunnan province, etc.), the content of Ni is about 1%, the ratio of Ni:Co (8-16):1.

Among the numerous tin ore deposits of different genesis, tin-bearing placers (70% of reserves) are of primary importance, with a sharply secondary role of skarn, vein and other formations. Yunnan province is of primary importance, where primary and alluvial deposits are known on an area of ​​about 100 km 2 (Gejiu region), containing up to 50% of the country's tin reserves. The main ore mineral is cassiterite. Primary ores of the skarn and hydrothermal types contain 0.5-5%, sometimes 10% tin, as well as copper, in

According to statistics, today the People's Republic of China ranks third in the world in terms of mineral reserves (about 12% of the world). Geologists have confirmed that in the bowels of China there are deposits of ten types of energy resources, forty-six types of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, more than ninety types of non-metallic ores, eight types of precious and rare metals.

Of particular importance for the country are the huge reserves of coal (mainly hard coal), in which it ranks first in the world: the volume of its explored reserves is estimated by geologists at one trillion tons. In addition, now China is the world's largest producer of gold (about 430 tons annually).

Relief features of China

The relief of China is very diverse, and geographers usually distinguish three main regions on its territory:

• Tibetan Plateau;
• Belt of mountains and high plains;
• Low accumulative plains.

The average height of the Tibetan Plateau, located in the southwest of the country, is 4877 meters above sea level, and its total area is 2.5 million square kilometers. In the Tsaidam depression located on it (height - from 2700 to 3000 meters above sea level) there are large deposits of iron ores, coal and oil.

The belt of mountains and high plains is located to the north, northeast and northwest of the Tibetan Plateau. A large oil field has been explored in its western part, and deposits of iron ore and coal have been explored in its southern part. Low accumulative plains are located in the eastern part of China and make up about 10% of the total area of ​​its territory. They are composed of sediments of large and small rivers.

Types of minerals in China

The People's Republic of China has almost all types of minerals. In this country, large deposits of hard coal have been explored and are being actively developed (the volume of its annual production is more than 3,500 million tons), very significant volumes of oil.

In addition, China has very significant shale deposits, and therefore it is planned that in the near future the country will become one of the leading producers of shale gas (the Chinese are going to increase its production to 100 billion cubic meters annually by 2020).

Resources and deposits of China

The main coal deposits in China are located in the provinces of Shaanxi (30% of the total production), which is often called the “home of coal” in China.

Today, there are about 300 oil fields in this country, and most of them are located in the province of Shandong (Shengli field), Heilongjiang (Daqing field), in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Hadesun field), as well as in some other regions of the country ( including on its continental shelf).

The largest iron ore deposit (Anshan) is located in Liaoning province. As for non-ferrous metal ores, the largest copper ore deposit (Dengxing) is located in Jiangxi Province. The richest deposits of tungsten ores have also been discovered in the same region.