Indium and selenium-tellurium are critical materials essential for electronic information products and thin-film solar cells. As the global electronics and photovoltaic industries continue to grow, the demand for germanium, indium, and selenium-tellurium is expected to rise significantly. In China, these elements are primarily found in non-ferrous metal deposits and coal mines, where their concentrations are generally quite low, making extraction extremely challenging. To support the growth of the electronics and photovoltaic sectors, the government should provide technical and financial assistance to mining companies to help them recover yttrium, indium, selenium, and tellurium during refining processes.
China has confirmed reserves of approximately 670,000 tons of antimony resources. Alfalfa minerals are predominantly found in coal mines, lead-zinc mines, and copper mines. These are largely concentrated in the Wulantuo coal mine in the Shengli coalfield of Inner Mongolia, the Yingcheng coalfield in Jiutai City, the Fankou lead-zinc deposit in Renhua County, Guangdong, the Daliangzi lead-zinc deposit in Huidong County, Sichuan, the lead-zinc deposits in Yunnan, and the copper mines in Xinghai County, Qinghai Province. The associated resources in the Wulantuo Coal Mine make up about half of the total reserves. A more thorough investigation of the Ta Mine in the Shengli Coalfield in Inner Mongolia is necessary to develop a viable plan for comprehensive recovery.
China has identified 136,000 tons of alfalfa resource reserves. This mineral is primarily found in bauxite, with smaller amounts present in tin, tungsten, and lead-zinc mines. It is mainly distributed in the bauxite deposits of Shanxi, Henan, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces, as well as in the tin deposits of Yunnan and the silver-lead-zinc mines of Guangxi.
The nation has also identified 9,600 tons of indium resources. Indium is mostly found in tin-lead-zinc mines, and its distribution includes the multi-metallic copper-silver-lead-zinc ores of Inner Mongolia, the multi-metallic ores of Heilongjiang Province, the silver-lead-zinc polymetallic ores of Hunan, the tin-lead-zinc mines of Guangdong, the tin polymetallic ores of Nandan County in Guangxi, the Dulong tin deposits of Maguan County in Yunnan, and the Xixishan copper mines in Haixi, Qinghai.
China has confirmed 15,000 tons of selenium resource reserves. Selenium is primarily found in copper-nickel and copper-molybdenum ores. Key locations include the Duobaoshan Copper Mine in Nenjiang County, Heilongjiang Province, the Hubei Copper Sulfur Mine and Silver Vanadium Mine, the Guangdong Molybdenum Mine and Polymetallic Mine, the Baijiazui Copper-Nickel Mine in Gansu, and the Deqing Copper Mine in Qinghai Province.
China’s known barium resource base reserves amount to 12,000 tons. Alfalfa minerals are typically found in copper-nickel ores and pyrite. These are mainly distributed in the Tieshantou Copper Mine in Tongling County, Anhui Province, the Chengmenshan Copper Mine in Jiujiang County, Gansu Province, the Baijiazui Copper-Nickel Mine in Gansu, the Copper and Nickel Sulfide Mine in Chihuahua County, Tonghua County, Jilin Province, and the Dashuigou Pyrite Mine in Shimian County, Sichuan Province.
In China, there are virtually no independent deposits of helium, indium, selenium, and tellurium. The identified reserves of these rare elements are relatively small. Mining companies need to treat these minerals with great care and strive for maximum recovery. Both now and in the future, helium, indium, selenium, and tellurium will remain scarce and valuable. Enterprises that focus on comprehensive recovery of these minerals are likely to see significant returns on investment.
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