TIANJIN, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- China Mining Conference and Exhibition opened Thursday in north China's city of Tianjin, attracting over 10,000 representatives from 69 countries and regions.
The three-day event covers a variety of topics such as geological surveys, exploration and development, mining-rights trading, mining investment and financing, as well as technique and equipment.
According to an official report, China had discovered 173 mineral varieties by the end of 2017.
The country included natural gas hydrate, or combustible ice, in its mineral list last year, to speed up exploitation of the clean energy source.
"We will strike a balance between mineral resource exploitation and environmental protection," said Ling Yueming, vice minister of Natural Resources.
First held in 1999, China Mining Conference and Exhibition plays a critical role in creating more communication and cooperation opportunities for domestic and international mining firms and organizations.
