26 December 2005
Iron ore deposits and oil found on Tibetan Plateau
(Xinhua) The latest geological survey on Tibet has led to the discovery of three large iron ore deposits, a senior survey official has announced. "Each of the three deposits boasts a potential reserve of more than 50 million tons, with that of the largest exceeding 100 million tons," said Zhang Hongtao, deputy director of the China Geological Survey Bureau. Zhang also announced survey results indicating the presence of oil reserves of more than 10 billion tons in the same region. The survey, resulting in the first accurate, medium-scale map of the plateau’s mineral resources, was completed in September 2005 after seven years of research.