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 reserveproduction 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.     

新疆罗布泊超大型卤水钾矿发现20年

"罗布泊超大型卤水鉀矿"的发现,是中国众多地学科学家40年探寻预测的。王弭力研究员及其团队,于1995年秋首次踏进罗布泊"罗北凹地",当年找到4356万t优质卤水鉀矿;经五年科研和勘探,查明儲量达2.5亿t、为超大型卤水鉀矿。理论创新,成为完成科硏和勘探的关键,加速了百万吨级"罗钾公司"硫酸钾肥生产成功投产。古丝绸之路上生命回归、一颗新星"罗布泊"镇诞生,"百年罗钾"资源保障科研探钾即将启动,中国几代"钾盐人"的梦想成真。     

Information structuring and risk-based inspection for the marine oil pipelines

The proposed work is incorporated into the research theme concerning the maintenance and inspection of sensitive facilities in production systems. It is essential to promote the methodological deployment of inspection techniques to ensure the good functioning of services provided by complex production systems as well as their different components. We use a risk-based inspection methodology offering an organized analysis with knowledge sharing for collaborative possibilities in a multidisciplinary context and it consists of the following steps: data acquisition and information collection, failure analysis (probability and consequences), risk assessment, inspection plan, mitigation and revaluation. The application of this methodology can improve the maintenance management strategies of industrial companies. The inspection department is able to forecast its potential failure, root causes and impacts on the safe operation of the considered production system, based on a reliable inventory of existing situations and review options for continuous improvement in maintenance management. In particular, we addressed the application of a Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) methodology in the French petroleum company with operations on the west coast of central and southern Africa. The incorporation of expert knowledge into risk assessment is helping to find the best preventive plan for pipeline inspection in the case study.     

The influence of physical and biological processes on the ichthyoplankton communities in the Gulf of Sirte (Southern Mediterranean Sea)

This paper reports on the first study on the ichthyoplankton community structure in the Gulf of Sirte and its spatial distribution in relation to environmental conditions and zooplankton abundance. The results make an important contribution to the future management of fisheries in this unexplored, but much exploited, area. Biological samples were collected in July 2008 using a Bongo40 net. In total, 1914 larvae were found and 1652 of these were identified. In particular, bathypelagic taxa were the most abundant, followed by demersal, mesopelagic, pelagic and epipelagic taxa. The ichthyoplankton community had a patchwork distribution influenced by oligotrophic conditions, the bottom depth and oceanographical features. The results suggest that environmental forcings were able to transport the ichthyoplankton to productive areas. Indeed, maximum fish egg densities were found in coastal stations in correspondence with the Atlantic Tunisian Current inflow, whereas larvae were mainly concentrated in the east side of the Gulf, probably as a result of advection by the anticyclonic circulation. Additionally, the distribution patterns of the total larvae density and the different assemblages were well matched with the abundance of the zooplankton, probably determining final larval survival, growth and recruitment.     

Geological Controls on the CBM Productivity of No.15 Coal Seam of Carboniferous–Permian Taiyuan Formation in Southern Qinshui Basin and Prediction for CBM High-yield Potential Regions

Coalbed methane (CBM) resources in No.15 coal seam of Taiyuan Formation account for 55% of the total CBM resources in southern Qinshui Basin (SQB), and have a great production potential. This study aims at investigating the CBM production in No.15 coal seam and its influence factors. Based on a series of laboratory experiments and latest exploration and development data from local coal mines and CBM companies, the spatial characteristics of gas production of No.15 coal seam were analyzed and then the influences of seven factors on the gas productivity of this coal seam were discussed, including coal thickness, burial depth, gas content, ratio of critical desorption pressure to original coal reservoir pressure (RCPOP), porosity, permeability, and hydrogeological condition. The influences of hydrological condition on CBM production were analyzed based on the discussions of four aspects: hydrogeochemistry, roof lithology and its distribution, hydrodynamic field of groundwater, and recharge rate of groundwater. Finally, a three-level analytic hierarchy process (AHP) evaluation model was proposed for predicting the CBM potentials of the No.15 coal seam in the SQB. The best prospective target area for CBM production of the No.15 coal seam is predicted to be in the districts of Panzhuang, Chengzhuang and south of Hudi.     

新型同径分层止水工艺在地热探采深井的应用

原平大营地热探采结合深井完钻井深3088 m,为探明494~3088 m变质岩地层的水文地质参数和水源补给情况,基于岩心和测井资料划分4个抽水试验段,且试验后需要恢复目的含水层。根据“一孔同径分层止水”原则,设计了管内止水托盘止水、管外止水伞止水的新型同径分层止水工艺。该工艺简化了井身结构,避免了管外投粘土球、注水泥等堵塞含水层的情况。现场实施表明,该工艺止水效果完全满足水文地质抽水试验要求,可为同类工程提供经验和借鉴。     

浅谈市(州)普通地图集的设计

介绍了设计编制地图集中的若干问题:如何确定开本及比例尺大小,如何设计整饰与装帧等。提出了设计编制地图集也应看成是一项科学研究过程的观点。     

21世纪中国主要粮食产区的空间格局特征

Grain production is an important issue for the national economy and the livelihood of the Chinese people. It serves as the foundation of national development and social stability. China is a major grain producer as well as a major grain consumer. The grai…     

MAPSUV数字测绘成果管理系统的设计

测绘成果为区域经济规划、国土资源调查以及农林水利、能源交通、城市规划建设等诸多方面提供大量与地理位置有关的基础信息, 因而在整个测绘部门的管理中成果管理显得尤为重要.而基于MAPSUV数字测绘平台的成果管理系统, 以工程测量中的地形图为背景, 以各种等级控制点为核心, 利用计算机技术、地理信息系统(GIS) 技术、数据库技术、图象处理技术、网络通讯以及多媒体技术, 在测绘行业日常业务的基础上, 开发出了适合实际需要的数字化成果管理信息系统建立成果数据库和共享数据库.      

山东北部全新世的人地关系演变: 以海岸变迁和海盐生产为例

根据先秦考古遗址地理分布的分析和郭井子贝壳堤的发掘和调查,复原了6.5~5.0kaB.P. ,4.5~4.0kaB.P.和3.4~2.1kaB.P.的3条海岸线,它们大致与现代海岸线平行分布,年代自南向北逐渐年轻,揭示了山东北部地区全新世海侵和海退过程的主要环节,恢复了全新世海岸变迁的具体历程。对寿光大荒北央遗址出土盔形器内壁凝结物的XRF和XRD分析证明,本区沿海商周时期遗址出土的盔形器应是制盐器具,而沿海盔形器密集分布区与6.5~5.0kaB.P.的海岸线基本重合,表明商周时期海盐生产地域应在6.5~5.0kaB.P.和3.4~2.1kaB.P.的两条海岸线之间。本区的海盐生产与海岸变迁密切相关,人类适应环境和开发资源的主要手段就是从事海盐生产。在6.5~4.0kaB.P. ,人类在滨海地带有了初步的海盐生产,开始了适应环境和利用自然资源的最早尝试,在3.4~2.1kaB.P. ,人类又开始开采地下卤水生产海盐,使现今海拔9~10m以下的广阔地区成为产盐区。本区内陆的山前平原地带则是海盐的主要消费区,也是产盐区所需粮食和各种生产生活用品的供应区。这一分析对研究本区先秦时期的聚落功能演变具有重要意义,也是研究本区全新世人地关系演变的关键视角。