China has discovered a reserve containing 203 million metric tons of manganese ore, the largest in Asia, in Guizhou Province, local officials stated.
The provincial department of geology and mineral exploration discovered the manganese ore reserve at Pujue in the mountains of the Songtao Miao autonomous district of Tongren city, according to a press release issued by the local county government. The ore could be worth over RMB 100 billion ($14.5 billion).
There have been at least four large manganese ore reserves found in Guizhou in recent years, totaling around 600 million metric tons.
The newly discovered ore deposits make up 60 percent of China's total proven reserves and will greatly reduce the country's reliance on imports.