China has launched a huge new nationwide hunt for resources ranging from crude oil to rare earths, as it strives to shield its economy from a turbulent geopolitical environment in which raw materials are increasingly becoming instruments of leverage.
The upgraded national campaign was designed to uncover and extract more of China’s own resources, as demand for key minerals was expected to keep rising in the coming years, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Tuesday.
The high-profile drive, which deputy minister Zhou Xing dubbed a “mineral exploration offensive”, will focus on oil, iron, copper and aluminium – resources that China lacks – as well as rare earths, a sector that it already dominates.
“We aim to discover as many mineral deposits as possible, especially large and high-grade ones … to significantly boost self-sufficiency in strategic mineral resources and strengthen confidence in safeguarding China’s energy and resource security,” Zhou said during a press conference.
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