Experts from the China Geological Survey work on-site at the rare-earth mineral deposit in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

A superlarge ion-adsorption-type rare-earth mineral deposit in Southwest China's Yunnan Province has been discovered, with potential resources reaching 1.15 million tons. It's expected to become the largest middle and heavy rare-earth deposit in China and further strengthen China's strategic advantage in the field.

Among them, the key rare-earth elements such as praseodymium exceed 470,000 tons. This marks a breakthrough in the exploration of ion-adsorption type rare-earth minerals in China since the first discovery of such kind in East China's Jiangxi Province in 1969. It is of great significance to consolidate China's advantages in rare-earth resources and improve the rare-earth industrial chain, according to the China Geological Survey.

The recently discovered minerals are primarily middle and heavy rare-earth minerals. China has abundant light rare-earth resources, mainly distributed in areas such as Bayan Obo mining area in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Among other things, the middle and heavy rare-earth resources are essential raw materials for electric vehicles, renewable energy, national defense security, and are key metals for the development of high-tech industries, said the China Geological Survey.

The China Geological Survey has established a national geochemical baseline network, generated extensive data and advanced mineral exploration techniques. It has filled the gap in geochemical exploration technology for ion-adsorption type rare-earth minerals.