An introduction to Deep Resources Exploration and Mining, a special project of National Key R&D Program of China

Deep Resources Exploration and Mining (DREAM), a special project in the framework of National Key R&D Program (NKRDP), aimed at enhancing China's capability of resource discovery and acquisition, so as to provide a comprehensive support for the national strategic initiative to make breakthroughs in mineral prospecting. According to the claim "full-chain design and integrated implementation" raised by NKRDP, DREAM possessed a wide funding scope. As for the research work on key fundamental theories, DREAM focused on deep hydrocarbon accumulation and metallization, resource prediction and assessment, as well as deep mining theories. For the research and development of generic technologies and equipment, DREAM supported the projects concerning aerial-surface-underground stereoscopic exploration and intelligent unmanned green mining. Meanwhile, the relevant application demonstrations in the field of deep resources exploration and mining were also included in the funding scope. Seven tasks, such as three-dimensional structure and control elements of metallogenic system, were arranged in the deployment layout of DREAM, and several inter-connected research projects had been approved to support the realization of goals for each task and DREAM. Combined with the summary of project approval progress, the distribution of allocated funds in seven task directions was analyzed. Based on the insight into each on-going research project, the research emphases, difficulties and expected goals of each task were analyzed and summarized. On such a basis, the technical layout, space layout and capital layout of DREAM were comprehensively presented, which is supposed to provide reference for stakeholders concerning research and management.