Sichuan emerges as strategic hub for critical minerals

As a major mineral-rich province, Sichuan is pushing a new round of exploration initiatives to establish a strategic base that ensures the supply of key primary resources. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, the southwestern Chinese province has invested RMB630 million (USD88.73 million) in geological surveys, four times the level of the previous five years.

During this period, new discoveries include three large graphite deposits, six medium-to-large phosphate deposits, 2.8 million tonnes of spodumene resources, and 1.75 billion tonnes of phosphate resources. Reserves of rare earths, gold, and oil & gas have also grown significantly.

Sichuan's identified titanium resources account for 76.2% of China's total, ranking first globally, and its vanadium resources make up 28.2% of the national total, also ranking first in the country. The province now produces around 80% of China's titanium concentrate, 60% of vanadium products, and 20% of hard-rock rare earths, making it a leading hub for titanium, vanadium, and rare earths.

The Panxi Strategic Resource Innovation and Development Pilot Zone, China's only comprehensive resource utilization pilot area, is emerging as a core center for the global vanadium-titanium materials industry. Looking ahead, Sichuan will support large-scale titanium chemical and alloy projects, cultivate emerging sectors such as vanadium alloys and vanadium battery energy storage, and advance key technologies. Pilot projects for hydrogen metallurgy of vanadium-titanium magnetite and titanium extraction from blast furnace slag are planned in Panzhihua and Neijiang, further strengthening Sichuan's position as an innovation hub for the vanadium-titanium industry.