The China Land and Resources Report 2004 released by the Ministry of Land and Resources shows that surveys on China's land and resources as well as geological prospecting discovered 205 large and mid-sized mines in China.

The 205 mines include 24 energy resource mines, 5 ferrous metal mines, 47 non-ferrous metal mines, 14 noble metal mines, 1 metallurgical auxiliary material mine, 8 chemical material mines, 104 building material and other non-metal mines and 2 other water and gas mines.

In 2004 determined reserves in 56 mines increased, of which oil accounted for 1.098 billion tons, natural gas 380.2 billion cubic meters and raw coal 9.654 billion tons. By the end of 2004 mines with determined reserves have reached 158 in China, of which energy resource mines accounted for 10, metal mines 54, non-metal mines 91 and other water and gas mines made up 3.

By People's Daily Online