According to a report from the iNature website, in 2024, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region leveraged its resource endowments and geographical advantages to continue implementing a new round of strategic breakthroughs in mineral exploration. This effort resulted in the addition of six large-scale resource bases: the Yumin Sujiuhe 500,000-ton molybdenum base, the Shanshan Nanhu Gobi-Quelridge million-ton copper-molybdenum base, the Hami Weiya-Niumaoquan billion-ton iron and ten-million-ton titanium base, the Atushen Puchang-Karajun billion-ton iron and ten-million-ton titanium base, the Qiemo-Ruoqiang trillion-cubic-meter shale gas base, and the Yingjisha-Yecheng trillion-cubic-meter shale gas (oil and gas) base. This development signifies a steady enhancement of Xinjiang’s mineral resource security capabilities.
The Director of the Commerce and Industry Bureau of Yumin County stated that the Sujiuhe molybdenum mining area is located in the western section of the Barluk Mountains in Western Junggar, with a 90-kilometer stretch along National Highway 219 from Yumin to the Sujiuhe molybdenum mine. The entire mining area has delineated 19 ore bodies, with total primary molybdenum resources amounting to 678.13 million tons of ore and 554,072 tons of metal content. Based on a preliminary feasibility study of the Sujiuhe molybdenum mine’s extraction and processing project, the designed production scale is 15 million tons per year (raw ore). Initial estimates suggest that the total investment for the project’s construction will be approximately 3.544 billion yuan, with a mine service life of 30 years. Once the project reaches full production capacity, it is expected to generate an annual output value of 1.91 billion yuan and contribute a total of 385 million yuan in various taxes annually.
It is reported that Shanshan is situated in a significant metallogenic region of Xinjiang, characterized by active geological movements, frequent stratigraphy, tectonics, and magmatic activity. This area possesses the geological conditions necessary for the formation of copper-molybdenum deposits. After extensive exploration, it has been confirmed that the region holds abundant copper-molybdenum reserves, laying a solid resource foundation for the development of a million-ton copper-molybdenum base.
In terms of scale and reserves, the Shanshan Nanhu Gobi-Quelridge copper-molybdenum base has achieved a million-ton level, indicating substantial copper and molybdenum reserves with significant future mining potential. This is of great importance in alleviating the tight supply situation of copper and molybdenum resources in China and ensuring the raw material supply for related industries. Regionally, the base’s development not only brings new economic growth opportunities to the local area—driving employment and tax revenue—but also fosters the growth of supporting industries such as transportation and energy supply, contributing to the economic prosperity of Shanshan.
