Xinhua is the official news agency of the Peoples Republic of China

NANNING (Aug. 24) XINHUA - China is investing in the construction two key projects to speed up the exploitation of abundant mineral resources in southwest China, known as one of the three largest virgin areas in the world waiting for development.

Geologists have discovered 13 minerals in the heart of Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces in the upper reaches of the Zhujiang (Pearl) River.

There are large deposits of minerals, such as coal, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, tin, bismuth, gold, mercury, titanium and barite, all of fine quality and high grades, geologists said.

So far, 19.9 billion tons of coal, 2.1 billion tons of phosphorus, 145, 000 tons of titanium, 42.95 million tons of iron, more than 28.1 million tons of magnesium, 470 million tons of tin have been verified in the area.

At present the country is harnessing a 847-km-long navigation route in the Xijiang River linking Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with Guangzhou, capital of the coastal province of Guangdong in the south.

Investments have also been made in the renovation of the Dahua hydro-electric power plant on the Hongshui River.

Completion of the two projects will speed up the development of mineral resources, as well as forestry resources in the Zhujiang River reaches, in southwest China.

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