Development and Utilization of the World＇s and China＇s Bulk Mineral Resources and their Supply and Demand Situation in the Next Twenty Years

Bulk mineral resources of iron ores, copper ores, bauxite, lead ores, zinc ores and potassium salt play a pivotal role on the world＇s and China＇s economic development. This study analyzed and predicted their resources base and potential, development and utilization and their world＇s and China＇s supply and demand situation in the future 20 years. The supply and demand of these six bulk mineral products are generally balanced, with a slight surplus, which will guarantee the stability of the international mineral commodity market supply. The six mineral resources （especially iron ores and copper ores） are abundant and have a great potential, and their development and utilization scale will gradually increase. Till the end of 2014, the reserve- production ratio of iron, copper, bauxite, lead, zinc ores and potassium salt was 95 years, 42 years, 100 years, 17 years, 37 years and 170 years, respectively. Except lead ores, the other five types all have reserve-production ratio exceeding 20 years, indicative of a high resources guarantee degree. If the utilization of recycled metals is counted in, the supply of the world＇s six mineral products will exceed the demand in the future twenty years. In 2015-2035, the supply of iron ores, refined copper, primary aluminum, refined lead, zinc and potassium salt will exceed their demand by 0.4-0.7 billion tons （Gt）, 5.0-6.0 million tons （Mt）, 1.1-8.9 Mt, 1.0-2.0 Mt, 1.2-2.0 Mt and 4.8-5.6 Mt, respectively. It is predicted that there is no problem with the supply side of bulk mineral products such as iron ores, but local or structural shortage may occur because of geopolitics, monopoly control, resources nationalism and trade friction. Affected by China＇s compressed industrialized development model, the demand of iron ores （crude steel）, potassium salt, refined lead, refined copper, bauxite （primary aluminum） and zinc will gradually reach their peak in advance. The demand peak of iron ores （crude steel） will reach around 2015, 2016 for potassium salt, 2020 for refined lead, 2021 for bauxite （primary aluminum）, 2022 for refined copper and 2023 for zinc. China＇s demand for iron ores （crude steel）, bauxite （primary aluminum） and zinc in the future 20 years will decline among the world＇s demand, while that for refined copper, refined lead and potassium salt will slightly increase. The demand for bulk mineral products still remains high. In 2015-2035, China＇s accumulative demand for iron ores （crude steel） will be 20.313 Gt （13.429 Gt）, 0.304 Gt for refined copper, 2.466 Gt （0.616 Gt） of bauxite （primary aluminum）, 0.102 Gt of refined lead, 0.138 Gt of zinc and 0.157 Gt of potassium salt, and they account for the world＇s YOY （YOY） accumulative demand of 35.17%, 51.09%, 48.47%, 46.62%, 43.95% and 21.84%, respectively. This proportion is 49.40%, 102.52%, 87.44%, 105.65%, 93.62% and 106.49% of that in 2014, respectively. From the supply side of China＇s bulk mineral resources, it is forecasted that the accumulative supply of primary （mine） mineral products in 2015-2035 is 4.046 Gt of iron ores, 0.591 Gt of copper, 1.129 Gt of bauxite, 63.661 Mt of （mine） lead, 0.109 Gt of （mine） zinc and 0.128 Gt of potassium salt, which accounts for 8.82%, 13.92%, 26.67%, 47.09%, 33.04% and 15.56% of the world＇s predicted YOY production, respectively. With the rapid increase in the smelting capacity of iron and steel and alumina, the rate of capacity utilization for crude steel, refined copper, alumina, primary aluminum and refined lead in 2014 was 72.13%, 83.63%, 74.45%, 70.76% and 72.22%, respectively. During 2000-2014, the rate of capacity utilization for China＇s crude steel and refined copper showed a generally fluctuating decrease, which leads to an insufficient supply of primary mineral products. It is forecasted that the supply insufficiency of iron ores in 2015-2035 is 17.44 Gt, 0.245 Gt of copper in copper concentrates, 1.337 Gt of bauxite, 38.44 Mt of lead in lead concentrates and 29.19 Mt of zinc in zinc concentrates. China has gradually raised the utilization of recycled metals, which has mitigated the insufficient supply of primary metal products to some extent. It is forecasted that in 2015-2035 the accumulative utilization amount of steel scrap （iron ores） is 3.27 Gt （5.08 Gt）, 70.312 Mt of recycled copper, 0.2 Gt of recycled aluminum, 48 Mt of recycled lead and 7.7 Mt of recycled zinc. The analysis on the supply and demand situation of China＇s bulk mineral resources in 2015-2035 suggests that the supply-demand contradiction for these six types of mineral products will decrease, indicative of a generally declining external dependency. If the use of recycled metal amount is counted in, the external dependency of China＇s iron, copper, bauxite, lead, zinc and potassium salt will be 79%, 65%, 26%, 8%, 16% and 18% in 2014, respectively. It is predicted that this external dependency will decrease to 62%, 64%, 20%, -0.93%, 16% and 14% in 2020, respectively, showing an overall decreasing trend. We propose the following suggestions correspondingly. （1） The demand peak of China＇s crude steel and potassium salt will reach during 2015-2023 in succession. Mining transformation should be planned and deployed in advance to deal with the arrival of this demand peak. （2） The supply-demand contradiction of China＇s bulk mineral resources will mitigate in the future 20 years, and the external dependency will decrease accordingly. It is suggested to adjust the mineral resources management policies according to different minerals and regions, and regulate the exploration and development activities. （3） China should further establish and improve the forced mechanism of resolving the smelting overcapacity of steel, refined copper, primary aluminum, lead and zinc to really achieve the goal of ＂reducing excess production capacity＂. （4） In accordance with the national strategic deployment of ＂One Belt One Road＂, China should encourage the excess capacity of steel, copper, alumina and primary aluminum enterprises to transfer to those countries or areas with abundant resources, high energy matching degree and relatively excellent infrastructure. Based on the national conditions, mining condition and geopolitics of the resources countries, we will gradually build steel, copper, aluminum and lead-zinc smelting bases, and potash processing and production bases, which will promote the excess capacity to transfer to the overseas orderly. （5） It is proposed to strengthen the planning and management of renewable resources recycling and to construct industrial base of renewable metal recycling. （6） China should promote the comprehensive development and utilization of paragenetic and associated mineral species to further improve the comprehensive utilization of bulk mineral resources.

Delineation of Potential Mineral Resources RegionBased on Geo-anomaly Unit

The geological anomaly unit method (GAUM) is a new way to delineate and evaluate ore finding targets in line with the “geological anomaly ore finding theory”. Comprehensive ore finding information from geological, geochemical and geophysical data is used for quantitative measurement of the “ore forming geological anomaly unit” in this paper. The main procedures are shown as follows: (1) The geo anomalous events associated with gold mineralization are analyzed in Tongshi gold field; (2) The zonation in the concentrated heavy minerals and the stream sediment elements of ore forming geo anomaly are studied in detail; (3) The deep geological structural framework is deduced by means of the synthetic geological interpretation of gravity and magnetic information; (4) The ore controlling geo anomalies and ore anomalies are chosen as the variables of the favorable ore forming indexes that can be used for the quantitative delineation and evaluation of the potential ore forming regions.

＂Three Rare Mineral Resources＂ and Crystalline Graphite Have Become Prospecting Focuses in China

With the global rise of industries of the new-generation information technology, energy conservation and environmental protection, biotechnology, high-end manufacturing, new materials and clean-energy vehicles, traditional metal materials cannot meet the functional requirements. Consequently, ＂three rare mineral resources＂, regarded as the best altemative for current and future new industries, have received much attention among industrial circles and have become a new focus during the present geological prospecting in China.

Metallic Mineral Resources Assessment and Analysis System Design

This paper presents the aim and the design structure of the metallic mineral resources assessment and analysis system. This system adopts an integrated technique of data warehouse composed of affairs processing layer and analysis application layer. The affairs processing layer includes multiform databases (such as geological database, geophysical database, geochemical database), while the analysis application layer includes data warehouse, online analysis processing and data mining. This paper also presents in detail the data warehouse of the present system and the appropriate spatial analysis methods and models. Finally, this paper presents the prospect of the system.

GIS—A Tool to Change Traditional Way of Mineral Resources Appraisal

Because of the wide application of digital spatial information technology to geology, a large spatial database in geology, geophysics, geochemistry and remote sensing is constructed, resulting in a change in conditions, methods and targets of mineral resources appraisal (MRA). In this paper, the difference between the GIS base MRA and the traditional MRA is studied.

Genetic Modeling of GIS-Based Cell Clusters and Its Application in Mineral Resources Prediction

This paper presents a synthetic analysis method for multi sourced g eo logical data from geographic information system (GIS). In the previous practices of mineral resources prediction, a usually adopted methodology has been sta tistical analysis of cells delimitated based on thoughts of random sampling. Tha t might lead to insufficient utilization of local spatial information, for a cel l is treated as a point without internal structure. We now take “cell clusters ”, i. e. , spatial associations of cells, as basic units of statistics, thus th e spatial configuration information of geological variables is easier to be dete cted and utilized, and the accuracy and reliability of prediction are improved. We build a linear multi discriminating model for the clusters via genetic algor ithm. Both the right judgment rates and the in class vs. between class distan ce ratios are considered to form the evolutional adaptive values of the populati on. An application of the method in gold mineral resources prediction in east Xi njiang, China is presented.

Application of Transient Electromagnetic Method with Multi-Radiation Field Sources in Deep Edge Mineral Resources Exploration

In recent years,in order to meet the practical needs of deep edge mine detection with large depth and high precision,transient electromagnetic method(TEM)near emission source detection mode has become an international advanced method(Xue et al.,2020).

Theory and Method of Mineral Resource Prediction Based on Synthetic Information

Metallogenic prognosis of synthetic information uses the geological body and the mineral resource body as a statistical unit to interpret synthetically the information of geology, geophysics, geochemistry and remote sensing from the evolution of geology and puts all the information into one entire system by drawing up digitalized interpretation maps of the synthetic information. On such basis, different grades and types of mineral resource prospecting models and predictive models of synthetic information can be established. Hence, a new integrated prediction system will be formed of metallogenic prognosis (qualitative prediction), mineral resources statistic prediction (determining targets) and mineral resources prediction (determining resources amount).

Revised Stratigraphy and Mineral Resources of Balochistan Basin, Pakistan: An Update

The Balochistan basin is located on the south western part of Balochistan Province and also Pakistan. Balochistan super basin is subdivided into northern Balochistan (Pishin basin or Kakar Kohorasan basin represented as back arc basin), central Balochistan (Chagai-Raskoh-Wazhdad Magmatic arc and Hamuns-Inter arc basin) and southern Balochistan (Makran Siahan basin) basins. Balochistan basin consists of Cretaceous to recent sediments, diverse igneous rocks and low grade metamorphics. Balochistan basin is a leading basin which consists of very significant mineral deposits especially copper and gold deposits. These mineral resources need to be developed for the development of areas, province and Pakistan. During previous half century a lot of geological work has been done in Balochistan basin. Here the revised stratigraphic set up and its mineral resources with an update are being presented.

Ore-bearing Formations and Mineral Resource Prospects of the Peripheral Areas of the Tarim Block

The tectonic development of the Tarim block has experienced four stages, i. e. Earth's core accretion and block formation in the Precambrian, margin splitting, opening-closing and piecing up in the Early Palaeozoic, rift formation and plate unification in the Late Palaeozoic, and basin-mountain coupling and landform shaping in the Meso-Cenozoic, forming six ore-bearing formations and ore deposits of various genetic types in the Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun Mountains and Altun Mountains. In the peripheral areas of Tarim there are four giant intercontinental metallogenic belts passing through, the Central Tianshan and southwestern Tianshan belts in the former USSR and the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun and Palaeo-Tethys belts in China. According to the macro-analysis on the nearly one thousand known deposits (occurrences) and geophysical-geochemical anomalies, and the information from reconnaissance in some areas, the region has very good prospects for mineral resources. Some of the metallogenic belts may well become the reserve bases for exploration of mineral resources in China.

Supply-Demand Situation and Exploration of Mineral Resources in China during 2016-2017

During 2016-2017,both the supply and demand of China’s main mineral resources continued to grow.The import of major energy resources and metal ore resources,such as iron ores,crude oil,natural gas,coal and bauxite,except for copper,has shown a substantial increase(Table1).In order to guarantee economic development needs,the

Mineral Resource Science in China:Review and perspective

Mineral resources are essential to prosperity and security of modern societies.How mineral resources can guar-antee sustainable development of economy in countries,especially those developing countries,has long been a focus of attention of international communities.This paper provides a comprehensive summary for major ad-vance of the research on mineral resources in past decades,and proposes some key issues regarding ore-forming mechanism,exploration and utilization of major and critical mineral resources.On the basis of these aspects,we also identify four priority science issues to be addressed in the future,including(1)mechanism of both metal circulation and extremely high concentration,(2)theories and technologies of prospecting deep-earth resources,(3)investigation of mineral resources in seafloor and polar regions,and(4)efficient,clean and recycling utiliza-tion of mineral resources.It can be expected that new advances in these four issues would tremendously promote the innovation of mineral resource science,and provide scientific and technologic support to meet the demand of mineral resources for human activities and the harmonious development of both mineral-resource exploration and ecological restoration.

Chinese Geological Prospecting Gets Good Harvest, and Mineral Resources and Reserves Increase Gratifying in 2012

On March 27, 2013, the Ministry of Land and Resources held a news conference to announce a significant achievement in Chinese geological prospecting work in 2012. According to government/industry statistics, proved reserves of oil and natural gas have increase substantially in 2012. Newly proven national petroleum geological reserves are 15.2 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 13%, which is the tenth time of more than 1 billion tons since the founding of People＇s Republic of China; newly proven technically recoverable reserves are 270 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 7%. The 2012 national newly proved reserves from natural gas exploration are 961.22 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 33%, which is the highest level in our history; the new proven technically recoverable reserves are 500.8 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 36%. National natural gas production was 106.76 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 5.4%. The Ordos, Tarim and Sichuan basins are still the main producing areas of natural gas in China. In 2012, national oil production was 205 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 1%, which made a steady increase. The national coal-bed methane production was 2.57 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 24%.

Effects of grain size on landscape patterns in mineral resource zones:a case study of Wu’an,China

A mineral resource zone,rich in resources and energy,is intensively developed and disturbed by human activities,which causes an obvious change of landscapes.Taking Wu’an of Hebei Province,China,as a case study,this paper extracts landscape information of mineral resource zones through overlapping mineral resources distribution map and landscape pattern map.And then,various landscape indices are selected for analyzing the effects of grain size(30,60,90,120,150,180,210,240,270 and 300 m)on landscape patterns.Due to different kinds of landscape information transmitted by indices,the changing trends vary with the increase of grain sizes.Accordingly the landscape indices are classified into three types of effects:disturbance,continuity and sustainability,and each type of effect has its own optimal range for grain sizes.Then the optimal range of grain size on landscape patterns in mineral resource zones is gained through a comparison of the effects in various grain sizes of landscape indices.The best first domain of scale covers 30-90 m,with a suitable grain size of 30-60 m before intensive mining and a suitable grain size of 60-90 m after intensive mining.Besides,the suitable grain sizes for reflecting disturbance,continuity and sustainability before intensive mining are 30-60,30-60 and 30-90 m,respectively,however,the sizes are changed to 60-90,60-90 and 30-90 m,respectively,after intensive mining.The results are helpful for rational land use and optimal landscape allocation.

Discussion on Nontraditional Mineral Resources

In this paper, the authors introduce the concept of nontraditional mineral resources, and propose the major system of nontraditional mineral resources, including nontraditional resources, research methods, mining and mineral economics. Then the authors conclude that the research on nontraditional mineral resources is not only significant to satisfication the human needs in the 21st century, but also important to the development of the present geological theory.

Important Issues of Sustainable Development:Research of Nontraditional Mineral Resources

Nontraditional resources refer to that potential mineral resources are unconsidered and unutilized under actual condition of technique, economic and environment, or some mineral resources are too difficult to find because of geological complexity. There are some signified problems about discovery and exploration of nontraditional mineral resources to be discussed in this paper. It is a very significant project next century, and makes development bases for offspring, which its research and practice the theory of nontraditional mineral resources need interactive combination.

What Mineral Resources will China Need to Discover by the Mid-21st Century？

In the past 40 years of China＇s reform and opening up, China＇s economy has been developing rapidly, and industrialization and urbanization have begun to take shape. At present, China is heading towards an information society. Mineral resources have played a great supporting role during this process. During the whole of 2017, China consumed 2.344 billion tons of iron ore, 2.4 billion tons of cement and 3.65 billion tons of raw coal （Fig. 1）.

Mineral Resources of Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, Pakistan: An Update

The Gilgit-Baltistan Province and Azad Kashmir regions are rich in mineral and natural resources. The gemstones, marbles and many other economic mineralizations are significant but these regions are relatively far from central and southern commercial areas of Pakistan. The gemstones of Gilgit-Baltistan Province are famous worldwide especially from Hunza and Skardu regions. The Azad Kashmir region also has a share of gemstone especially from the upper approaches of Neelam valley and marble, construction materials, coal, clays and other minerals found from different areas of Azad Kashmir. There is no common previous availability of comprehensive papers providing mineral data of Gilgit-Baltistan Province and Azad Kashmir regions. This report provides a quick view of mineral resources occurred in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir regions.