Guangxi Will Increase the Exploration of Strategic Mineral Resources Such as Tungsten and Aluminum

Recently, the Natural Resources Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region issued a notice on several measures to strengthen the assurance of natural resource elements to support the sustained economic recovery and improvement. 

The notice states that efforts will be made to ensure the supply of mineral resource elements: the "15th Five-Year Plan" implementation scheme for Guangxi’s new round of strategic action for breakthroughs in mineral exploration will be formulated, intensifying exploration efforts for strategic mineral resources urgently needed for the region’s industrial development, such as tungsten, aluminum, manganese, tin, and antimony. Additionally, coordinated efforts will be made to advance industrial experimental research on the beneficiation and smelting of sedimentary bauxite. Strategic mineral resources identified through fiscal funding, those covered by construction projects, and remaining reserves from mines closed due to policy will be included in the mineral resource reserve database. Mineral resources will be allocated in an orderly manner to support industries such as aluminum, manganese, non-ferrous metals, and photovoltaic glass.

Guangxi is rich in tungsten resources and holds a significant position nationwide, with deposits mainly distributed in counties such as Wuming and Bobai in southern Guangxi, Zhongshan and Ziyuan in northeastern Guangxi, and Luocheng and Nandan in northern Guangxi. In terms of cities, Nanning, Hezhou, and Yulin account for 46.79%, 24.58%, and 17.30% of the region’s total resource reserves, respectively.

The genetic types of tungsten deposits in Guangxi are complex, primarily including skarn-type and hydrothermal-type deposits related to magmatic activity, as well as stratabound tungsten deposits associated with thermal brines. The ore mineral compositions include wolframite, cassiterite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, scheelite, and molybdenite.

Guangxi has a long history of tungsten mining, with deposits discovered and mined for export as early as the beginning of the 20th century. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Pinggui Mining Bureau and others began mining tungsten in areas such as Shanhu and Lantoushan, followed by the development and operation of several additional mining areas and enterprises. According to Chinatungsten Online, in 2024, Guangxi was allocated a total tungsten mining quota (with a tungsten trioxide content of 65%) of 3,800 tons, a decrease of 1,320 tons compared to the previous year, representing a reduction of 25.78%.

Furthermore, during the strategic mineral exploration work conducted by the Guangxi Geological and Mineral Bureau from 2021 to 2024, the project titled "Discovery of New Types of Tungsten-Tin Deposits in New Strata in the Youjiang Area of Western Guangxi" was recognized as one of the "Top Ten Geological Science and Technology Advances of 2024" by the China Geological Survey. The Cenxi Yangtang tungsten mining area identified thick and large tungsten ore bodies, highlighting the promising prospects for tungsten exploration in Guangxi.

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