Chenzhou is located in a metal accumulation area of the Nanling Mountains, and is known as the home of non-ferrous metals because of its rich mineral resources.
Chenzhou’s Shizhuyuan polymetallic mine is known as a museum of non-ferrous metals. Huangshaping lead-zinc mine, Baoshan lead-zinc-silver mine and Leiping non-ferrous mine in Guiyang County, Xianghualing tin mine in Linwu County, Yaogangxian tungsten mine in Yizhang County and Rucheng tungsten mine in Rucheng County are all well-known non-ferrous metal mines in China.
Chenzhou is also rich in non-metallic mineral resources, among which the most famous ones are fluorite from Xianghualing and Huangshaping, calcite from Leiping and Dongpo, and crystal from Yizhang, Linwu and Yaogangxian.
According to incomplete statistics, more than 200 kinds of minerals as well as 112 kinds of natural minerals and stone resources have been discovered in Chenzhou, with 46 kinds of proven reserves and over 500 mines boasting rich resources.
The main mineral crystals of great esthetic value in Chenzhou include scheelite, pyrite, native gold, fluorite, calcite, crystal and aragonite. They are such gorgeous and glittering masterpieces created by nature that many of them are treasured by a great number of mineral crystal museums nationwide.
The mineral crystals in Chenzhou are a combination of science and nature, which are of great value of esthetic, collection, scientific research and popular science. Because of the rarity, peculiarity and beauty, Chenzhou’s mineral crystals have been highly praised by museums and stone collectors in Western countries, becoming the most sought-after and value-adding hard currency. Internationally, the number of people collecting mineral crystals is far greater than that of people collecting paintings, antiques, stamps and coins.
It has become a new fashion to give mineral crystals as valuable gifts to friends and relatives during social events and interactions. For instance, the leaders of the Chinese government once presented a piece of cinnabar and a fluorite crystal to the president of the United States when visiting the US.
According to the available information provided by many mines, Chenzhou has mined 230,000 cubic meters of mineral crystals and has a prospective resource of 6 million cubic meters, with 1.32 million cubic meters available for mining.
With the discovery of the massive tin ore belt in Qitianling, it’s believed that Chenzhou will be blessed with even more wonderful non-ferrous and non-metallic mineral crystals.
