A Roadmap for Scientific & Technological Development of Solid Mineral Resources in China to 2050

Abstract

Based on the above discussions, it is obviously shown that there are two basic and real contradictions related to the development of mineral resources in China. One is between the great demands on mineral resources and the severe shortage of the proved mineral reserves. Th e other is among the huge potential for prospecting mineral resources, the low level of utilization of mineral resources, the prominent environmental problems caused by exploitation of mineral resources, and the relative low extent of research, exploration and development of deposits. Then, how to make the huge potential to resources or reserves of minerals and to improve the efficiency of utilization of mineral resources are key questions should be solved in order to relax the tension of severe shortage of the proved reserves of mineral resources in China and to guarantee the coordinated development between exploitation and utilization of mineral resources and construction of ecological environment. In our view, we not only should be able to rationally utilize international mineral resources, to reduce the unit volume of minerals consumed for unit output, and to improve the mining management level, but also should put more effort to resolve three key scientific questions related to metallogenic theories and regularities, including the accumulation process of huge bulk metallogenic materials, the regularity of temporal and spatial distribution of deposits and the relationship between the metallogenic model and the relevant prospecting model, to specially make breakthroughs in three technological aspects, including the techniques for prospecting mineral resources in covered area and in depth, for cleanly and efficiently utilize mineral resources, for substituting and recycling mineral resources, and to strengthen the integration, test and application of relevant technologies, on the basis of systematically understanding the unique evolution history of the lithosphere in China (Fig. 2.1).