Major strontium ore deposit found in Jiangsu

A major new strontium ore deposit has been discovered in Lishui district, Nanjing, with an inferred resource of about 545,000 metric tons of ore and 265,000 tons of minerals, boasting an average grade of 48.65 percent, according to the Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province.

Strontium, classified as a critical rare metal, is widely used in special ceramic materials and magnetic alloy manufacturing. In ceramics, strontium compounds enhance dielectric properties and mechanical strength, while in magnetic alloys, they improve performance to meet the demanding standards of high-end electronic devices. The European Commission also listed strontium among its Critical Raw Materials in 2020.

"This new strontium deposit in Lishui has a grade of over 48 percent and reserves of over 500,000 tons, giving it significant mining value," said Tan Hongbing, professor at the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, which is located in Nanjing, Jiangsu.

"The discovery at a depth of less than one kilometer also has important implications for future strontium exploration," said Tan, who is also director of the university's Earth Critical Zone Research Institute.

He added that strontium is an essential element in modern high-tech products, and that China is a major country in strontium mining, accounting for over 60 percent of the world's proven reserves.

Strontium ore has long been a hallmark of Jiangsu's mineral wealth, with a development history dating back to the 1960s.

Located in the northeastern part of the Lishui volcanic basin, near the Aijing Mountain deposit, the new find follows the earlier discovery of a large strontium ore deposit in Houfang village. The area is one of Jiangsu's most important strontium-bearing zones, where four large and medium-sized deposits have already been identified.

The Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province spent four years mapping the basin, overcoming challenges such as dense human activity in the region. Through detailed studies of tectonic evolution and fracture structures, researchers identified five concealed strontium ore bodies in the Mashantou area, along with hidden copper, lead-zinc, and pyrite deposits.

Based on these findings, the survey team proposed a new exploration strategy for polymetallic resources, offering fresh insights into the metallogenic regularities of strontium and related minerals.