China is stepping up its search for oil and minerals as it seeks to strengthen domestic supplies amid growing geopolitical tensions and global competition for raw materials.
The Ministry of Natural Resources has announced plans to advance around 300 energy and resource bases during its 15th Five-Year Plan, which covers 2026 to 2030.
Vice Minister Zhou Xing says the country will launch what he described as a “mineral exploration offensive” aimed at significantly increasing self-sufficiency in strategic resources.
The campaign will focus on resources where China faces supply constraints, including oil, iron, copper, and aluminium, while also targeting minerals where it already holds a strong position, such as rare earths.
“We aim to discover as many mineral deposits as possible, especially large and high-grade ones,” Zhou said in a briefing this week.
Expanded exploration push
As part of the campaign, China plans to increase detailed geological mapping coverage to 51% of its land area, while expanding the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in mineral exploration.
The country has already accelerated exploration spending in recent years. More than ¥500 billion ($106.17 billion) was invested in mineral exploration between 2021 and 2025, up 29% from the previous five-year period.
By the end of 2025, China ranked first globally in reserves of 14 minerals, including rare earths and tungsten, and among the top four for another nine, including coal and iron, according to the ministry.
That exploration spending continued to deliver results this year.
Between January and August, China added nearly 70 million tonnes (Mt) of recoverable oil reserves and 610 billion cubic metres of recoverable natural gas reserves, the ministry estimates.
Two major mineral deposits were also confirmed: a large rare earth resource of 9.67Mt in the Maoniuping area of Sichuan and the Chating copper-gold deposit in Anhui. Zhou labels both discoveries as having ‘super-large-scale’ potential.
China’s broader exploration push is also drawing increased participation from mining companies, including recent partnerships targeting mineral-rich regions such as Tibet.
Write to Jackson Chen at Mining.com.au
Main Image: Pixabay
