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The discovery further strengthens China’s dominance in rare earth production.
Representative Image. (AI Generated)
China has reported major discoveries of several critical minerals, including rare earths and fluorite, strengthening its reserves of resources that are vital for high-tech, new energy and defence sectors.
Authorities said that at the Maoniuping mine in Mianning county of Sichuan province, a discovery of 9.7 million tonnes of rare earth oxides has been made. With this addition, the site’s total confirmed reserves now stand at 10.4 million tonnes, according to a report by state news agency Xinhua on Friday.
Surveys conducted at the site also identified 27.1 million tonnes of fluorite and 37.2 million tonnes of baryte. The scale of these findings means the deposit qualifies as a “super-large” reserve for both minerals.
The discovery further strengthens China’s dominance in rare earth production. Rare earths are a group of 17 elements widely used in technologies such as smartphones, electric vehicles, weapons systems and spacecraft.
However, experts said the discoveries of fluorite and baryte were particularly significant. Wang Denghong, director of the Institute of Mineral Resources at the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, described them as the most striking findings.
Fluorite, commonly referred to as fluorspar, plays an important role in the semiconductor and lithium-ion battery industries. Baryte is mainly used in oil and gas drilling operations as a weighting material that helps stabilise wells and prevent blowouts.
“Without baryte, oil and gas exploration and production would grind to a halt, and the extraction of shale oil and gas would be out of the question,” Wang said.
In a separate development, officials in Gansu province reported the discovery of an additional 51,455 tonnes of antimony in Tanchang county.
Antimony is commonly used as a flame retardant in plastics and electronic products. According to the provincial department of natural resources, the discovery increases the area’s proven antimony reserves by more than half.
Critical minerals and rare earths have become an important geopolitical issue amid growing economic and strategic rivalry between China and the United States.
As the world’s leading producer of rare earths, China has increasingly used its control over these resources as leverage in trade and technology disputes with Washington.
Last April, Beijing imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements and permanent magnets after US President Donald Trump introduced tariffs on Chinese imports.
Under the new rules, exporters must obtain official permission before shipping the restricted materials abroad. However, China confirmed that it began issuing longer-term export licences with extended validity in December.
While the policy appears to have helped increase shipments to Europe, exports to the United States have not yet returned to previous levels.
According to customs data released on Friday, Chinese exports of rare earth permanent magnets to the US continued to decline in January and February. Shipments during the two months totalled 994 tonnes, marking a 22.5 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
In contrast, exports to the European Union have grown. Shipments of permanent magnets to the EU reached 4,775 tonnes in the first two months of 2026, representing a 28.4 per cent increase year on year.
March 22, 2026, 14:02 IST
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