On September 11, 2026, at the 2026 China International Mining Conference held in Tianjin, the Ministry of Natural Resources officially released the "China Mineral Resources Report 2026". The reporting system presents new developments in China's mineral resources policies and regulations, a new round of breakthrough strategic actions in mineral exploration, development, utilization and protection, green development of mining, as well as technological innovation and international cooperation since 2025. For the vast number of mining rights holders, this is not only a clear "resource inventory list", but also a "barometer" for observing the direction of industry policies. Here are the key points for interpretation.
Core Data Overview: Released on September 11, 2026 (China International Mining Conference 2026); The basic establishment of the "one law, one regulation" institutional system within the framework of the rule of law; The cumulative exploration funds during the 14th Five Year Plan period exceeded 500 billion yuan (+29.3% compared to the 13th Five Year Plan); In 2025, geological exploration investment will reach 117.855 billion yuan (+1.6%, with continuous positive growth for 5 years); 200 newly discovered non oil and gas mineral deposits; There are 14 types of minerals with the world's largest reserves and the top 49 types in the world.
1、 One Law, One Regulation ": Mineral resource management has a legal foundation
Since 2025, the newly revised Mineral Resources Law of the People's Republic of China and its supporting Implementation Regulations have been promulgated and implemented, establishing a basic legal system for national mineral resources management with "one law, one regulation" as the core. The Regulation consists of 8 chapters and 79 articles, detailing and implementing the mining rights system, exploration and mining system, ecological restoration of mining areas, resource reserves and emergency response, supervision and management, etc. For mining rights holders, this means that their rights and interests are more legally protected, the mining business environment is further optimized, and institutional expectations are more stable.
2、 The breakthrough in mineral exploration during the 14th Five Year Plan has come to a successful conclusion
During the 14th Five Year Plan period, China discovered 398 strategic mineral deposits of large and medium-sized, including 225 large and medium-sized oil and gas fields. The newly discovered geological reserves of oil and gas maintained a high growth rate. Historic breakthroughs have been made in copper, gold, potassium salts, and strategic emerging minerals such as lithium, helium, and high-purity quartz have achieved leapfrog development. Social capital has become the main force in mineral exploration, and the enthusiasm for investment has significantly increased.
3、 Home inventory: 14 types of reserves ranked first in the world, 9 types ranked first in the top four
As of the end of the 14th Five Year Plan, China's advantageous mineral reserves have consistently ranked among the top in the world. The reserves of 14 types of minerals, including rare earths, tungsten, tin, molybdenum, antimony, gallium, germanium, indium, fluorite, graphite, etc., rank first in the world; Nine types of mineral reserves, including coal, iron, manganese, titanium, lithium, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesite, rank among the top four in the world. The resource base is more solid, providing a solid foundation for national resource security.
4、 Geological exploration investment will continue to grow for five consecutive years in 2025
In 2025, the national geological exploration investment will reach 117.855 billion yuan, an increase of 1.6% over the previous year, achieving positive growth for the fifth consecutive year. The central government has newly designated over 200 mineral exploration target areas, 20 oil and gas prospect areas, and 37 favorable areas. 200 new non oil and gas mineral deposits have been discovered nationwide, including 63 large, 57 medium, and 80 small ones, with impressive results in mineral exploration.
5、 Stable supply, continuous increase in energy and mineral production
In 2025, fixed assets investment in the mining industry will increase by 2.5% year on year, 6.3 percentage points higher than the growth rate of fixed assets investment nationwide, and the energy supply guarantee capacity will be further consolidated. The total production of primary energy is 5.13 billion tons of standard coal, an increase of 3.6%; Coal production reached 4.85 billion tons, an increase of 1.4%, crude oil production reached 216 million tons, an increase of 1.5%, and continued to grow for seven consecutive years. Natural gas production reached 262.06 billion cubic meters, an increase of 6.3%, and maintained a production increase of 10 billion cubic meters for nine consecutive years. The output of ten non-ferrous metals was 81.75 million tons, an increase of 3.9%, and the output of phosphate rock was 120 million tons, an increase of 11.5%. The energy consumption structure continues to improve, with coal accounting for 51.4% and non fossil energy accounting for 21.7%.
6、 Green and technology dual wheel drive
During the 14th Five Year Plan period, the country completed the restoration and treatment of 223000 hectares of abandoned historical mines, exceeding the expected target by 19.6%; In 2025, the central government will allocate 5.15 billion yuan for key ecological protection, restoration, and governance funds. Ecological priority and green development have become rigid requirements. In terms of technology, by 2025, 4 national standards and 55 industry standards will be released in the field of mineral resources, 35 key laboratories and 15 engineering technology innovation centers will be established in the field of geology and mineral resources, and theoretical breakthroughs will be made in the direction of gold ore control, new models of porphyry copper ore formation, and rare earth extraordinary enrichment control factors.
7、 What does it mean for mining rights holders
·The legal environment is more stable: the implementation of "one law, one regulation" ensures the protection of mining rights and interests, and the expectations for investment and certification are clearer.
·Expansion of exploration space: The level of basic geological survey has been improved, commercial exploration targets have increased, and the value of exploration rights has become prominent.
·Green is both a hard constraint and an opportunity: the restoration of 223000 hectares indicates the rigidity of the ecological red line, and early green transformation is more proactive.
·Technological dividends can be enjoyed: advanced and applicable technology catalog, comprehensive extraction of associated resources, helping to reduce costs and increase efficiency, and fully exploit resources.
·Strategic minerals are subject to special protection: rare earths, lithium, and other minerals are included in the special protection catalog, and their layout must be aligned with the national strategic direction.
Facing the 15th Five Year Plan, China will continue to promote a new round of breakthrough strategic actions in mineral exploration, coordinate exploration and development with ecological protection, lead industrial upgrading with technological innovation, promote global mining green and low-carbon transformation with open cooperation, and effectively safeguard national resource security.
