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

正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     

The Shilu Iron Ore Deposit in Hainan Province,South China: A Structurally and Hydrothermally Reworked and Re-Enriched Lake-Superior-Type BIF Iron Deposit

The Shilu iron ore deposit, located in the western Hainan Province, South China, is one of the most important iron-ore mining districts in China not only for its huge reserves of hematite- rich ores, but also for its potentially economic significance of associated metals of copper, cobalt, nickel, silver, lead and zinc, and of non-metals of dolomite, quartzite,barite,gypsum and sulfur.     

Chalcopyrite Intergrowths in sphalerite in the Meixian Lead—Zine Deposit,Fujian Province and their Metallogenic Significance

Ore textures and electron microprobe analyses show that in addition to highly scattered blebs in sphalerite grains,intergrown chalcopyrite also occurs as rods,myrmekites and lamellae aligned along cleavages and twin boundaries of the host sphalerite.The majority of the intergrowths could have been formed by replacement of sphalerite by chalcopyrite,albeit part of them may have resulted from exsolution,Not only copper,but also iron were introduced into the sphalerite by replacive fluids.While the front of the replacing fluid was moving forward through a sulphide orebody,Zn and Pb were dissolved and Cu was precipitated,resulting in zonal refining of the sulphide ores,The remobilized zinc and lead were precipitated at favourable sites with changed physico-chemical conditions .This is a possible mechanism for the formation of copper-poor zinc and lead ores above or lateral to the copper orebodies in some of the massive sulphide deposits reworked and overprinted by late-stage granites and their hydrothermal fluids.     

Geological Characteristics and Ore-controlling Factors of the Beiya Gold–Polymetallic Ore Deposit, Northwestern Yunnan Province

Based on comprehensive petrological, geochronological, and geochemical studies, this study analyzed the relationships between the Beiya gold-polymetallic skarn deposit and quartz syenite porphyries, and discussed the source(s) and evolution of magmas. Our results suggest that syenite porphyries (i.e. the Wandongshan, the Dashadi, and the Hongnitang porphyries), which formed between the Eocene and the early Oligocene epochs, are the sources for the gold-polymetallic ores at the Beiya deposit. Carbonate rocks (T2b) of the Triassic Beiya Formation in the ore district provide favorable host space for deposit formation. Fold and fault structures collectively play an important role in ore formation. The contact zone between the porphyries and carbonates, the structurally fractured zone of carbonate and clastic rocks, and the zone with well-developed fractures are the ideal locations for ore bodies. Four types of mineralization have been recognized: 1) porphyry-style stockwork gold–iron (copper) ore, 2) skarn-style gold-iron (copper and lead) ore in the near contact zone, 3) strata-bound, lense-type lead–silver–gold ore in the outer contact zone, and 4) distal vein-type gold–lead–silver ore. Supergene processes led to the formation of oxide ore, such as the weathered and accumulated gold–iron ore, the strata-bound fracture oxide ore, and the structure-controlled vein-type ore. Most of these ore deposits are distributed along the axis of the depressed basin, with the hypogene ore controlling the shape and characteristics of the oxide ore. This study provides critical geology understanding for mineral prospecting scenarios.     

Degradation of potassium-bearing minerals by thermophilic Aspergillus fumigatus and its optimal conditions

Potassium fertilizer is in short supply in China. However, there is a considerable resource of insoluble potassium resources in the soil mineral or potassium-baring low-degrade rocks. Most of these kinds of potassium exist in aluminous silicate minerals f…     

Magnetite Quartzite-Type Iron Ores – China’s Most Important Current Iron Ore Source

正China is abundant in iron-ore resources,with proven ore reserves of 576.62×108 t and proven reserves of 210×108 t,containing an average iron content of 33%.However,the rich iron-ore reserves of 10.85×108 t only account for 1.9%of all proven reserves.China’s iron-ore resources are characterized by many lean ores and a few rich ones.     

Outline of Metallogenic Regularity of Bauxite Deposits in China

Among the abundant aluminum ore resources in China, bauxite is dominated, which is mainly distributed in 19 provinces and regions, including Shanxi, Henan, Guizhou and Guangxi. The major deposit type of bauxite is paleo-weathering crust sedimentary type, and the other one is the accumulation type. The main metallogenic period is the late Paleozoic Era followed by the Cenozoic Era. The metallogenic tectonic background is characterized by a cratonic environment. This paper summarizes the bauxite metallogenic regularity based on the characteristics of bauxite resources, bauxite deposit type, bauxite metallogenic belt and metallogenic series in China, and 15 bauxite metallogenic belts, 8 bauxite metallogenic series and 7 bauxite ore concentrated areas were identified in the study. This paper also provides a theoretical basis for the evaluation of the potential of bauxite resources.     

Status of China’s Mineral Resources in 2013

正On 22nd April 2014,with the approach of the 45th World Earth Day,China’s Ministry of Land and resources issued the status of China’s mineral resources in 2013.The first task of the prospecting breakthrough strategy action implemented in the last five years has been completed,and China’s security capacity for mineral resources has been significantly improved.In the     

Occurrence of the Iron–rich Melt in the Heijianshan Iron Deposit, Eastern Tianshan, NW China: Insights into the Origin of Volcanic Rock–hosted Iron Deposits

Long-standing controversy persists over the presence and role of iron–rich melts in the formation of volcanic rock-hosted iron deposits. Conjugate iron–rich and silica–rich melt inclusions observed in thin-sections are considered as direct evidence for the presence of iron-rich melt, yet unequivocal outcrop-scale evidence of iron-rich melts are still lacking in volcanic rock-hosted iron deposits. Submarine volcanic rock-hosted iron deposits, which are mainly distributed in the western and eastern Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, are important resources of iron ores in China, but it remains unclear whether iron-rich melts have played a role in the mineralization of such iron ores. In this study, we observed abundant iron-rich agglomerates in the brecciated andesite lava of the Heijianshan submarine volcanic rock–hosted iron deposit, Eastern Tianshan, China. The iron-rich agglomerates occur as irregular and angular masses filling fractures of the host brecciated andesite lava. They show concentric potassic alteration with silicification or epidotization rims, indicative of their formation after the wall rocks. The iron-rich agglomerates have porphyritic and hyalopilitic textures, and locally display chilled margins in the contact zone with the host rocks. These features cannot be explained by hydrothermal replacement of wall rocks(brecciated andesite lava) which is free of vesicle and amygdale, rather they indicate direct crystallization of the iron-rich agglomerates from iron-rich melts. We propose that the iron-rich agglomerates were formed by open-space filling of volatile-rich iron-rich melt in fractures of the brecciated andesite lava. The iron-rich agglomerates are compositionally similar to the wall-rock brecciated andesite lava, but have much larger variation. Based on mineral assemblages, the iron-rich agglomerates are subdivided into five types, i.e., albite-magnetite type, albite-K-feldsparmagnetite type, K-feldspar–magnetite type, epidote-magnetite type and quartz-magnetite type, representing that products formed at different stages during the evolution of a magmatic-hydrothermal system. The albite-magnetite type represents the earliest crystallization product from a residual ironrich melt; the albite-K-feldspar-magnetite and K-feldspar-magnetite types show features of magmatichydrothermal transition, whereas the epidote-magnetite and quartz-magnetite types represent products of hydrothermal alteration. The occurrence of iron-rich agglomerates provides macroscopic evidence for the presence of iron-rich melts in the mineralization of the Heijianshan iron deposit. It also indicates that iron mineralization of submarine volcanic rock-hosted iron deposits is genetically related to hydrothermal fluids derived from iron-rich melts.     

The Major Ore Clusters of Super-Large Iron Deposits in the World,Present Situation of Iron Resources in China,and Prospect

Abstract: The metamorphosed sedimentary type of iron deposits (BIF) is the most important type of iron deposits in the world, and super-large iron ore clusters of this type include the Quadrilatero Ferrifero district and Carajas in Brazil, Hamersley in Australia, Kursk in Russia, Central Province of India and Anshan-Benxi in China. Subordinated types of iron deposits are magmatic, volcanic-hosted and sedimentary ones. This paper briefly introduces the geological characteristics of major super-large iron ore clusters in the world. The proven reserves of iron ores in China are relatively abundant, but they are mainly low-grade ores. Moreover, a considerate part of iron ores are difficult to utilize for their difficult ore dressing, deep burial or other reasons. Iron ore deposits are relatively concentrated in 11 metallogenic provinces (belts), such as the Anshan-Benxi, eastern Hebei, Xichang-Central Yunnan Province and middle-lower reaches of Yangtze River. The main minerogenetic epoches vary widely from the Archean to Quaternary, and are mainly the Late Archean to Middle Proterozoic, Variscan, and Yanshanian periods. The main 7 genetic types of iron deposits in China are metamorphosed sedimentary type (BIF), magmatic type, volcanic-hosted type, skarn type, hydrothermal type, sedimentary type and weathered leaching type. The iron-rich ores occur predominantly in the skarn and marine volcanic-hosted iron deposits, locally in the metamorphosed sedimentary type (BIF) as hydrothermal reformation products. The theory of minerogenetic series of mineral deposits and minerogenic models has applied in investigation and prospecting of iron ore deposits. A combination of deep analyses of aeromagnetic anomalies and geomagnetic anomalies, with gravity anomalies are an effective method to seeking large and deep-buried iron deposits. China has a relatively great ore-searching potential of iron ores, especially for metamorphosed sedimentary, skarn, and marine volcanic-hosted iron deposits. For the lower guarantee degree of iron and steel industry, China should give a trading and open the foreign mining markets.     

Metallogenic Characteristics of the Major Type Deposits in Southeast Asia

<正>1 Introduction The Southeast Asia is endowed with a diversity of mineral resources(Khin Zaw et al.,2014).Tin,copper,nickel,bauxite,chromium and potash resources are widely distributed in the Southeast Asia,show considerable economic significance,have obvious complementarity to China,and is paid wide attention by Chinese geologists and mining industry in recent years.     

The Distribution of Petroleum Resources and Characteristics of Main Petroliferous Basins along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, abbreviated as the Belt and Road Initiative, is a primary development strategy of China’s future international cooperation. Especially, the energy resource cooperation, including oil and gas resources cooperation, is an important part of this initiative. The Belt and Road has undergone complicated geological evolution, and contains abundant mineral resources such as oil, gas, coal, uranium, iron, copper, gold and manganese ore resources. Among these, Africa holds 7.8% of the world’s total proven oil reserves. The oil and gas resources in Africa are relatively concentrated, with an overall low exploration degree and small consumption demand. Nigeria and Libya contain the most abundant oil resources in Africa, accounting for 2.2% and 2.9% of the world’s total reserves, respectively. Nigeria and Algeria hold the richest natural gas resources in Africa, occupying 2.8% and 2.4% of the world’s total reserves, respectively. Africa’s oil and gas resources are mainly concentrated in Egypt, Sultan and Western Sahara regions in the northern Africa, and the Gulf of Guinea, Niger River and Congo River area in the western Africa. The Russia–Central Asia area holds rich petroleum resources in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The potential oil and gas areas include the West Siberia Basin, East Siberia Basin and sea continental shelf in Russia, the northern and central Caspian Basin in Kazakhstan, the right bank of the Amu-Darya Basin, the East Karakum uplift and the South Caspian Basin in Turkmenistan, and the Amu–Daria Basin, Fergana Basin, Afghan–Tajik Basin and North Ustyurt Basin in Uzbekistan. The Middle East oil and gas resources are mainly distributed in the Zagros foreland basin and Arabian continental margin basin, and the main oil-producing countries include Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. The Asia Pacific region is a new oil and gas consumption center, with rapid growth of oil and gas demand. In 2012, this region consumed about 33.6% of the world’s total oil consumption and 18.9% of the world’s total natural gas consumption, which has been ranked the world’s largest oil and gas consumption center. The oil and gas resources are concentrated in China, Indosinian, Malaysia, Australia and India. The abundant European proven crude oil reserves are in Norway, Britain and Denmark and also rich natural gas resources in Norway, Holland and Britain. Norway and Britain contain about 77.5% of European proven oil reserves, which accounts for only 0.9% of the world’s proven reserves. The Europe includes main petroliferous basins of the Voring Basin, Anglo–Dutch Basin, Northwest German Basin, Northeast German–Polish Basin and Carpathian Basin. According to the analysis of source rocks, reservoir rocks, cap rocks and traps for the main petroliferous basins, the potential oil and gas prospecting targets in the Belt and Road are mainly the Zagros Basin and Arabic Platform in the Middle East, the East Barents Sea Basin and the East Siberia Basin in Russia–Central Asia, the Niger Delta Basin, East African rift system and the Australia Northwest Shelf. With the development of oil and gas theory and exploration technology, unconventional petroleum resources will play an increasingly important role in oil and gas industry.     

Degradation of potassium-bearing minerals by thermophilic Aspergiilusfumigatus and its optimal conditions

Potassium fertilizer is in short supply in China. However, there is a considerable resource of insoluble potassium resources in the soil mineral or potassium-baring low-degrade rocks. Most of these kinds of potassium exist in aluminous silicate minerals from which potassium cannot be absorbed directly by plants. So it is very important to study how to release potassium from soil minerals or rocks by using biological action. Recently, a large number of researches on degradation of potassic mineral by bacterial but few by fungi have been reported. In order to study the degradation of potassic mineral by fungi, we isolated a strain of thermophilic fungi TH003, which can use potassic rock as nutrient source. The strain was identified as Aspergillus fumigatus based on its morphological characters and molecular biology. In this paper, the direct and indirect processes of mineral powder degradation with the strain of TH003 were studied： mineral powder was added in medium directly for cultivation so as to investigate the direct process. For the purpose of studying indirect process, mineral powder was wrapped up in a parcel using membrane with pore size of 0.22 μm, and then the parcels were added in the medium. The interaction between mineral granules and mycelia was observed by using TEM and AFM at different stages during the whole experimental procedure. The results showed that the effect of direct process is stronger than that of indirect process. For instance, the content of K^＋ is higher in both culture media and mycelia. Direct process includes mechanical demolishment, adsorption, parceling, phagocytosis, erosion and comprehensive effect, while indirect process only refers to erosion on the surface of mineral granules by metabolic products of mycelia. The technology of fermentation engineering was employed to study the biological effects of the strain of Aspergillus fumigatus TH003 on the minerals bating low-grade potassium. Nutrition factors and culture conditions that affect the process of mineral powder degrading with the strain of TH003 were studied in this paper. The results showed that glucose and corn steep are the optimal carbon and nitrogen resources in the strain culture medium, and that pH values range from 3.0 to 9.0.     

20 Years Advances in Preparation of Potassium Salts from Potassic Rocks: A Review

Long-term research on key techniques of clean utilization of potassic rocks from over twenty localities has been performed to settle the shortage of soluble potassium resources in China. The results show that K-feldspar as the principal mineral enriched in potassium could be decomposed in the media of Ca(OH)2, NaOH, KOH-H2O solution via hydrothermal treatment, into tobermorite, hydroxyl- cancrinite, and kalsilite respectively. By further processing, these compounds are feasible for being as slow-release carrier of potassium nitrate, extracting alumina, and preparing farm-oriented fertilizers of potassium sulphate and nitrate. Correspondingly, the filtrate is KOH, (Na, K)2SiO3, and K2SiO3 solution, from which potassium carbonate, sulphate, nitrate, and phosphate could be easily fabricated. As NaOH and KOH are recycled in the processing chains by causticizing sodium and/or potassium metasilicate solutions, the hydrothermal alkaline techniques as developed in this research have several advantages as lower consumption of disposable mineral resources and energy, maximized utilization of potassic mineral resources, as well as clean productions etc. Based on the approaches presented in this paper, the technical system of efficiently utilizing insoluble potassium resources has been established. The hydrothermal alkaline methods are feasible to be industrialized on a large scale, thus resulting in decreasing imports of potash fertilizers, improving the pattern of potassium fertilizer consumption, and enhancing the supplying guarantee of potassium resource in China.     

横穿贝加尔湖山脉北部寒区的线性工程

The development of North Transbaikalye mineral resources (e. g. the Chiney deposit of iron titanium-vanadium-magnetite ores and Udokan copper deposits) is impossible without the establishment of industrial and transport infrastructure, one component of which are linear engineering constructions (drive railways, by-line auto roads, platform passages, protecting constructions, and others). However,on condition of spreading permafrost rocks this is conjugated with certain ecological risk just as from the transport network objects so for the objects themselves. A special attention is paid in the paper to considering of problems of projecting and constructing railways on the Udokan ridge.     

Geology and Geochemistry of the Yangtizishan‐Moshishan Metamorphosed Sedimentary Anatase Deposit in Zhenglan Qi,Inner Mongolia: Discovery of a New Genetic Type of Titanium Deposit

Anatase and its allomorphic mineral rutile have the most prominent economic significance among titanium mineral resources and constitute one of the badly needed mineral resources currently in China. The Yantizishan-Moshishan anatase deposit was formerly referred to as an iron deposit. Based on recent investigation and exploration the authors believe that it is actually a large metamorphosed sedimentary anatase-dominated deposit belonging to a new genetic type. Ore bodies occur in stratoid and lenticular forms in Mesoproterozoic (1751 Ma) schist, metasandstone (metasiltstone), and amphibolite. Rich ores have perthitic structure comprising chiefly interbedded quartz perthite (with disseminated anatase and rutile) and anatase perthite. Ore minerals are mainly anatase and subordinately rutile and ilmenite (±hematite), while nonmetallic minerals are chiefly quartz with a certain amount of anthophyllite and biotite (±garnet). The grain sizes of anatase, rutile and ilmenite are 0.01–0.1 mm. Rich ores contain 3.14% to 15.46% TiO2, averaging 6.91%, while the low-grade ores have TiO2 content about 1.2%to 2.97%, averaging 1.76%. The ores have relatively high TFe and V contents. Trace elements in anatase and rutile such as Nb and Cr were analyzed by the electron microprobe. According to their relatively low Nb and Cr contents, source anatase and rutile must have come from meta-mafic rocks. Trace elements of the associated ilmenite show relatively high MnO and low MgO contents, just in contrast to those of ilmenite in V-Ti-magnetite ores of magmatic origin. The protoliths of amphibolite wall rocks should be basalt and picrite-basalt. Pertochemical data suggest that the tectonic setting of these rocks belongs to an island arc or a transitional belt between the island arc and oceanic ridge. Silicon isotope study shows that δ30Si values of different anatase ores, quartzite, and schist in this deposit are 0.1‰ to –0.9‰, similar to those of marine hydrothermal exhalative sedimentary deposits. All of these geological and geochemical characteristics of the ore deposit suggest that the anatase ores and amphibolite are products of submarine basic volcanism. The ores had chemical precipitation features, but were later subjected to regional intermediate (or somewhat lower) grade metamorphism (1158 Ma). Rutile was formed mainly in the process of this metamorphism. The ore belt locally underwent hydrothermal modification during the emplacement of Late Yanshanian granite (118?Ma).     

Geochemical Characteristics and Uranium Mineralization Potential of The Yanshanian Granite in The West of Yunnan Province

<正>1 Introduction The Sanjiang metallogenic belt is one of the important nonferrous metal metallogenic belts in China,the potential resources of copper,lead,zinc,silver,gold and tin are huge(Zhengqian et al.,1993).In the west of Yunnan province has a lot of Yanshanian granite,according to 1:20 million test data,development of granite belt rich in radioactive minerals in the west of Yunnan     

A Preliminary Review of Metallogenic Regularity of Copper Deposits in China

Copper resources in China are rich, but imported copper products are still required. Researches on metallogenic regularity of major types of copper deposits by geologists have involved in worldwide classification, significant copper belts, representative copper deposits, etc. Studies on metallogenic regularity of copper deposits in China also have made achievements with a long-term work. Combined with latest exploration advances obtained in recent ten years, this review aims to conclude the achievements of researches on copper metallogenic regularity in China. Based on data of 814 copper deposits and other ore (mineralized) occurrences, ten prediction types of copper deposits have been suggested. Porphyry and skarn copper ores are taken as the key targets. Porphyry copper deposits are the most important one which concentrate in Gangdese, Changdu-Sanjiang, Dexing and East Tianshan. The Cenozoic and Mesozoic are the major metallogenic epochs. Four main metallogenic epochs are been studied based on the copper ore geochronological data including Precambrian Era (Archean and Proterozoic), Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era and Cenozoic Era. Based on the study of metallogenic series of ore deposits in China, twenty-seven metallogenic series of copper deposits are proposed. This is suggested to deepen the study of metallogenic regularity of copper ore and provide the theory guide for copper resources prediction in China.     

Water chemistry and water quality variation in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, as a function of water management for the Middle Route of South to North Water Divert Project, China

As the diversion dike of the Middle Route of the South to North Water Transfer Project （MRSNWTP）, the water quality and water quantity of Danjiangkou Reservoir is critical to the project. At present, the rates of industrial wastewater treatment and sewage discharge, which belongs to Chinese State Standard in the districts near the reservoir except Shiyan city, are less than 60% and 40% respectively. The point source pollutants will be controlled because of the project after some time, but the non-point source pollutants caused by vegetation degradation and water-soil erosion will not be controlled effectively in a long time. Water samples were collected from the Danjiangkou Reservoir during 2004 and 2005 and analyzed for trace metals, i.e., silver （Ag）, aluminum （Al）, arsenic （As）, barium （Ba）, bismuth （Bi）, calcium （Ca）, cadmium （Cd）, cobalt （Co）, chromium （Cr）, copper （Cu）, iron （Fe）, mercury （Hg）, potassium （K）, lithium （Li）, magnesium （Mg）, manganese （Mn）, molybdenum （Mo）, sodium （Na）, nickel （Ni）, lead （Pb）, antimony （Sb）, selenium （Se）, silicon （Si）, strontium （Sr）, vanadium （V）, zinc （Zn）, chemicophysical parameters and nutrients, i.e., temperature （T）, pH, dissolved oxygen （DO）, turbidity, total suspended solid （TSS）, nitrate/ammonia/ammonium-nitrogen （NO3^-/NH3/NH4^＋-N）, total nitrogen （TN）, dissolved inorganic nitrogen （DIN）, total phosphorus （TP）, potassium permanganate index （IMn）, biochemical oxygen demand （BOD）, dissolved inorganic carbon （HCO3^-）. Our results are water quality belongs to Chinese standard level II, trace metals are low, but they are accumulating, and many of which, i.e., As, Pb, will endanger reservoir water security.     

A study on Pb isotopic characteristics of raw bauxite in western Guangxi, China

The Pb isotopic composition of ores is one of the important approaches to trace the ore sources.It has not yet been applied to research on bauxite ore so far.The current research on bauxite deposits in western Guangxi,China,seldom focuses on raw bauxite and studies on raw bauxite are mostly at macro-level.This study is the first to apply Pb isotope data to tracing bauxite ore sources.The Pb isotopic compositions of ore and rock samples from the Nadou and Taiping mining districts are projected on the Doe and Zartman plumbotectonic models and the results showed that the ore resources are different for the two mines.