Core Insights - China's significant breakthroughs in mineral exploration have been achieved in the first half of the year, with most mineral types exceeding the "14th Five-Year Plan" exploration targets ahead of schedule [1][2] - The new Mineral Resources Law, effective from July 1, emphasizes the protection of strategic mineral resources, ensuring national economic and defense security [2] - Investment in non-oil and gas mineral exploration reached 6.993 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 23.9%, indicating a growing enthusiasm from enterprises for mineral exploration [2][3] Group 1: Major Discoveries - A large uranium mine was discovered in Heilongjiang Province, marking the first of its kind in the province [1] - In Hebei Province, a new rubidium resource of 3.37 million tons was identified, solidifying China's position in rubidium mining [1] - A super-large lithium deposit was found in Hunan Province, with 490 million tons of lithium ore and 1.31 million tons of lithium oxide resources submitted [1] Group 2: Policy and Regulatory Framework - The revised Mineral Resources Law establishes a special protection system for strategic mineral resources, focusing on those critical for national security and emerging industries [2] - The Ministry of Natural Resources has initiated a summary evaluation of the "14th Five-Year Plan" for mineral resources and is preparing strategies for the "15th Five-Year Plan" [2] Group 3: Investment Trends - Exploration investment in tin, bauxite, tungsten, copper, and phosphate has increased by over 50% year-on-year, with coal, lead-zinc, molybdenum, gold, and graphite also seeing growth [3] - The supply of exploration rights for strategic minerals is set to reach a ten-year high in 2024, with 581 rights to be issued [3] - China's lithium resource production has increased by over 30%, with the global share of lithium reserves rising from 6% to 16.5%, moving from sixth to second place globally [3]