China has announced the discovery of what it describes as Asia’s largest undersea gold deposit, reinforcing domestic supply ambitions and underscoring Beijing’s long-term strategy to secure critical mineral resources.
The offshore discovery is located near Laizhou in Shandong province and was disclosed during a regional government review of progress under the current five-year plan.
Officials said the deposit lies within the Sanshan Island (Haiyu) Gold Mine area, a subsea site that has now been formally assessed under international standards.
According to local authorities, proven gold reserves at the site amount to 562 tonnes, with an average grade of approximately 4.2 grams of gold per tonne of ore.
The new find reportedly lifts Laizhou’s total proven gold reserves to more than 3,900 tonnes, accounting for roughly 26 per cent of China’s national total.
This increase positions Laizhou as the leading city in China for both gold reserves and overall production, based on official figures.
To support extraction from depths reaching up to 2,000 metres below sea level, authorities have outlined a planned investment of around 10 billion yuan.
The proposed offshore mining complex is expected to process about 12,000 tonnes of ore per day once fully operational.
Annual output from the facility is projected at roughly 15 tonnes of gold, providing a meaningful contribution to China’s domestic supply chain.
The announcement follows several major inland gold discoveries reported over the past two years across different regions of the country.
These include a large low-grade deposit in Liaoning province with confirmed reserves exceeding 1,400 tonnes.
Another significant find was reported in the Kunlun Mountains near Xinjiang, where estimated reserves are said to surpass 1,000 tonnes.
Officials have described the recent discoveries as a geological breakthrough, reflecting years of sustained exploration and investment.
The timing coincides with elevated global gold prices, which have surged amid economic uncertainty and strong investor demand.
Despite the new discoveries, China continues to rank behind countries such as South Africa, Australia, and Russia in terms of total proven reserves.
Authorities said the undersea find forms part of a broader national push to strengthen resource security through advanced exploration techniques.
Geologists are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence, deep-earth imaging, and advanced radar systems to locate deposits previously beyond reach.
Government data shows China invested nearly 116 billion yuan in geological exploration last year alone.
Cumulative spending on exploration since 2021 has approached 450 billion yuan, resulting in the identification of around 150 mineral deposits.
China remains the world’s largest gold producer, with annual output exceeding 370 tonnes.
Gold continues to play a strategic role for the country as both a financial hedge and a key material for electronics, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing industries.