The characteristics and potential of tin resources in China

Abstract: As one of the countries extremely rich in tin resources, China possesses 32% Sn recourses of the whole world. The striking features of tin deposits in China lie in concentrated distribution, concentrated reserves and many large-sizes deposits. The types of tin deposits in China include stratiform and stratoid tin deposits connected with granite, veinlike tin deposits related to granite, skarn?greisen tin deposits and porphyry tin deposits, with the first two types being more important. The major metallogenic ages of tin deposits are concentrated in middle to late Indosinian to early Yanshanian periods. Now, the proved resources of tin in China can only afford less than 10 years’ mining. Hence strengthening of exploitation will be urgently required. In order to get more reserves, the authors mapped 17 tin prospective areas and analyzed their resource potential.