China Unveils Massive Copper-Gold Deposit in Anhui Province
China's Ministry of Natural Resources has announced the discovery of a massive copper-gold deposit in Anhui Province, estimated to hold more than 1 million metric tons of copper and over 200 tons of gold.
The deposit is located in the Chating district of Xuancheng, Anhui Province, beneath volcanic rock and does not appear at the surface. The main ore body measures about 1.2 kilometers in length and 1.1 kilometers in width, with a maximum thickness of 1,371 meters.
The discovery is significant as it carries weight for China's push to reduce its dependence on foreign supplies of strategic minerals such as copper and gold. Industrial copper demand is growing in China due to the expansion of AI data centers, power grids, electric vehicles, and renewable energy industries.
The International Energy Agency has forecasted that world copper supply could fall 25% short of demand by 2035, further emphasizing the importance of securing domestic resources.