China continued to make progress in the discovery of new mineral
resources in the past five years, according to sources with the
Ministry of Land and Resources.
According to statistics, 694 large and medium-sized mineral
fields were discovered from 2001 to 2004 as the new proven reserves
of oil reached 3.65 billion tons, natural gas, 1,755.04 billion
cubic meters, and coal, 17.21 billion tons.
The annual average growth of new oil, natural gas and coal
reserves between 2001 and 2004 was 50.9 percent, 109.2 percent
and103.7 percent respectively, higher than those in the 1996-2000
period.
The levels of output of mineral resources grew steadily from
2001 to 2004. The output of petroleum reached 680 million tons,
natural gas, 139.5 billion cubic meters; crude coal, 6.16 billion
tons; steel, 850 million tons and cement, 3.22 billion tons.
The annual average output of petroleum, natural gas, crude coal,
steel and cement between 2001 and 2004 was 31 percent, 77.2
percent, 65.1 percent, 123.5 percent and 81.4 percent up on the
period from 1996 to 2000.
China's import of mineral products has kept growing in the past
five years, with the volume reaching US$151.8 billion, 12 times
more than in 1991.
(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2006)
