Due to its growing and more innovative technological development, China has been a traditional importer of raw materials that includes those for the generation of renewable energy. For this reason he has undertaken a vast program in the search for minerals considered critical to reduce its dependence on other countries. Along these lines, he made the finding of the world’s largest reef with 20 million tons.
A mineral that is indispensable in all use
This is a metal that, due to its properties, has great relevance in the modern world. Among them are very versatile, corrosion resistant, has great thermal and electrical conductivity and is very light compared to other materials. So it is called to be the protagonist in the energy transition.
Aimed at the use of renewable and non -polluting energy sources. It has an advantage that makes it very important and that is 100 % recyclable, in fact, approximately 30 % of this metal in use, is of the recycled type. For China, copper is a very critical material, and it must import it, as it is essential to build equipment and components, and it does not have important deposits … until now.
China’s great finding that could change the rules
As published by the Geological Office and the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, the explorations and polls carried out by the Asian giant in search of copper have paid off, since they have achieved a reef of 20 million metric tons of this mineral. And not only this, but mining experts have estimated that the area has a reserve potential of 150 million tons.
The area where the finding was made is west of the country that belongs to the Tibetan Altiplano, also known as the roof of the world, specifically in the mines of Xiongcun-Zhuno, Duolong, Yulong and Julong-Jiama (this rich reef is comparable to the megayacimiento recently found in this country). If the projections of the reserves are true, this would be the largest site in the world.
This discovery comes at a time when copper has taken great strategic importance as an element that is core to create and develop green technology in the field of renewable energy generation, such as photovoltaic and wind, both terrestrial and marina, the undimotriz, among others. This is also very relevant in the manufacture of electric cars and batteries.
This finding represents a great increase in China’s reserves of this mineral that will greatly reduce the dependence of imports from other countries, which were located at 6 million metric tons last year. In this way, the copper supply chain is robust, making it safer and more reliable, in addition to it. greater sustainability to the sector.
The Asian country has approved laws for environmental protection in the area
This plateau known as the “Third Polo” houses a large number of ecosystems and contains fresh water reserves that supply millions of people, not counting that it is vital to water crops. For this reason, China has promulgated laws that favor environmental protection that limit and prohibit, in many cases, the development of some activities, especially those of polluting mining.
Concluding, China made an important finding of a rich copper site of approximately 20 million metric tons (which is a large mine along with the white golden reef in Amazonas that took the United States). But it has also sought to protect the environment and water reserves through the publication of protective laws that control mining activities.
