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Which mineral resources supported Guangdong’s heavy industries?

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Hong Kong: bridge — Guangdong Bridge between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on the Chinese mainland.

While Guangdong historically faced challenges in developing heavy industry due to a scarcity of iron deposits, the subsequent discovery of various mineral resources facilitated the growth of sectors such as metal and petrochemical processing, machinery manufacturing, and shipbuilding.1

Key mineral resources that have supported these industries include:

Coal and Manganese: Primarily located in the north and northeast regions near Shaoguan and Meizhou, with some lower-grade coal found on the Leizhou Peninsula.1
Oil Shale: Deposits discovered near Maoming.1
Tungsten and Associated Minerals: Mined near the Jiangxi border, these deposits are often associated with bismuth, molybdenum, and tin.1
Other Minerals: The province also contains reserves of uranium, germanium, and tellurium, and produces lead and antimony.1

Would you like to know more about how these resources influenced the shift from light to heavy industry in the province?