| People have referred to Xinjiang as"A Platterful of Treasures" because there is an enormous amount.of natural resources deposited here. Throughout Xinjiang the reserves of 122 kinds of minerals have been verified and they make up 79% of all the verified minerals in the entire country.The petroleum resource deposits make up for 35% according to prospected survey, occupying an important position in the country. The coal reserve is 2200 billion tons, which is 40.6% that of the total reserve in the country, and ranking number one. In addition, the reserves in nonferrous metal and rare metals are also unbeatable. Rich concentrations of copper and nickel deposits are rarely found elsewhere in the country.Xinjiang also has 150 million mu of reclaimable land and 700 million mu of grassland with superior climatic conditions for the, development of agriculture and live-stock. The advantages Xinjiang hasin its black (petroleum) and white (cotton) natural resource transformation strategy has been well implemented and it can, according to the characteristic of its geographical location, build up bases for the production of live-stock, fruit and melon, sugarbeet, cotton and woolen textile. |
