China's oil production, essentially stabilized at 2.1 million bbl per day, will climb again as offshore Eocene, Oligocene, and Miocene discoveries in the Neocathaysian graben system are developed and produced. Exploration onshore has discovered several new fields in such geographically diverse areas as the Tarim basin (Miocene-Jurassic), the Qaidam basin (Cretaceous-Lower Pliocene), the Junggar basin (Permian-Cretaceous), and the Sichuan basin (Proterozoic-Jurassic). Indigenous, but commercial Proterozoic gas is produced in the Sichuan basin.

Coal production, which reached a high of 700 million tons (635 million MT) in 1979, once again is increasing. Principal deposits are of Permian, Jurassic, and early Tertiary ages. China's coal-resource base is among the three greatest in the world, and China's principal source of energy continues to be coal (67% of China's energy mix).

Shale oil is exploited on a modest scale. Most of the shale oil currently being mined is of early Tertiary age.

China's wealth of non-hydrocarbon minerals is enormous. Huge Mesabi-type and sedimentary iron ores are widespread in the country. Other resources present in great abundance include bauxite, copper minerals, lead-zinc, antimony, chromium, cobalt, manganese, platinum metals, rare earths and rare metals, tin, tungsten, uranium, asbestos, barite, borates, fluorspar, jade, magnesite, pyrite, various kinds of salts, and talc. The country has the potential to produce large amounts of molybdenum, gold, nickel, diamonds, phosphates, and potash. Silver and titanium are in short supply. Although the country is by no means self-sufficient in all minerals, it is more richly endowed than all countries of the world outside of the USSR.

End_of_Article - Last_Page 976------------