China's far western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has opened mining rights to the public, allowing prospectors to sell their output.

The regional government has decided to allow mining enterprises from home and abroad to prospect and remove the resources, excluding resources such as oil and gas, which are on the state exploration plan.

Located on a major ore bed in Asia, Xinjiang boasts great resource reserves.

It has nine of the nations biggest reserves, including natural gas, mica and chilisaltpeter. Its oil and nickel yield rank second, and coal and mirabilite rank fifth.

Xinjiang is expected to become another energy powerhouse of China after the eastern regions which had been developed for half a century.