China has made a monumental discovery of extensive uranium reserves in the Jingchuan area of ​​the Ordos Basin in northwest China, the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources announced in a press release sent to the Global Times on Friday. The press release said that this discovery will immensely increase the nation's uranium resources and effectively increase the security of uranium resources in the country.

The discovery is the world's first ultra-large uranium deposit in an aeolian sandstone-dominated environment. This type of landform is also common in other petroleum-rich regions of China, such as the Tarim, Junggar and Songliao basins.

The China Geological Survey said it was a significant step ahead in exploring new types of uranium mines since the country implemented new strategic measures to promote mineral exploration. The China Geological Survey, in cooperation with provincial, regional and municipal geological exploration departments and mining enterprises, is researching new lithium mines everywhere in the nation.

China's progress in lithium exploration has increased its share of global lithium reserves from 6 to 16.5 per cent, raising its rank from sixth to second, as announced on Wednesday. This has reshaped the allocation of global lithium resources, laying a reliable foundation for the fast development of China's pristine energy industry.

Among the recent discoveries, the 2,800-kilometer-long West Kunlun-Songpan-Ganji lithium belt in the western part of the country is notable. The lithium belt alone with more than 6.5 million tons of proven reserves and a potential resource of more than 30 million tons will greatly enrich the diversity of lithium ores in China.

Furthermore, China's newly identified Salt Lake lithium resources totalling more than 14 million tonnes, make it the world’s third largest Salt Lake lithium resource hub, after Argentina, Bolivia and Chile in South America and the "Lithium Triangle" in the western United States, according to the China Geological Survey.