China Discovers Major Underwater Gold and Silver Deposit in Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone

Significant Underwater Gold and Silver Deposit Found in the Pacific Ocean

According to НВ — Техно: During an 18-day expedition, Chinese researchers uncovered a substantial underwater deposit of gold and silver in the western Pacific Ocean. This breakthrough, announced on September 14, was the result of collaboration between Tsinghua University, the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, and Shanghai Jiaotong University. The deposit lies within China's exclusive economic zone and features three large cone-shaped sulfide mounds within a hydrothermal field.

The gold concentration in the deposit reaches up to 0.45 troy ounces per American ton of ore, roughly equivalent to 14 grams per 907 kilograms. Silver content is as high as 36.3 troy ounces per ton, exceeding 1 kilogram. The hydrothermal vents discovered range in depth from 700 meters to 1.5 kilometers below sea level. The research vessel "Xiang Yang Hong 10" departed from Shenzhen on August 10 and completed seven deep-sea dives during the mission. The exploration area is located north and east of Taiwan and north of the Philippines.

New Copper and Gold Deposit Identified in Anhui Province

In addition to the ocean discovery, China recently identified a large copper and gold deposit in Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, in the eastern part of the country. The ore body at Xuancheng measures approximately 1.2 kilometers long and 1.1 kilometers wide. Estimated copper reserves here are comparable to those of several major mines, each holding over 500,000 tons of copper. Potential gold reserves exceed those of more than ten large gold mining sites, each containing over 20 tons of gold.

Sun Shiqi, a member of the research team, stated: 'The newly found seabed area could hold significant economic value.'

While these discoveries highlight promising resource potential, experts caution that extraction faces considerable technical and environmental obstacles.

These advances in uncovering gold and silver deposits both underwater in the Pacific and on land in Anhui demonstrate China's intensifying focus on resource exploration. This may influence the global precious metals market and drive innovation in seabed mining technologies, though ecological impacts must be carefully managed. Amid growing international competition for natural resources, such finds are key to bolstering China's economic security.

This remarkable underwater discovery is not the only recent advancement in China's resource exploration. In a related development, researchers have also identified a significant copper and gold deposit in Anhui Province, showcasing the country's growing capabilities in uncovering valuable mineral resources. For more insights into how these findings reflect the health of marine ecosystems, explore the rapid natural recovery of methane-consuming marine ecosystems observed by Chinese scientists.