6.3.3 Mining Industry

China has a rich reserve in natural resources. Natural Resources in this context include coal, natural gas and oil. The output and possible function of fuel is large. Not only can it be refined as kerosene, petroleum, gasoline and other fuel, but to other products such as toys and plastics. It is therefore critical in developing the natural resources industries.

The industries do not only increased the countries GDP in overall, since the price of these natural resources in the world market is high, but also provide labor opportunities for average workers in China.

The distribution of natural resources in China varies. For coal, it mainly concentrates in the northern part of China, with emphasis in the neighboring province of Beijing. Whereas for oil resources, the distribution is sparser and separated in the whole of China, patches include those in Central China and Western China.

Surprisingly, the oil refinery industries and add on industries do not necessarily follows the distribution of the mining/production of crude oil/oil resources in China. Comparing the distribution of oil and production of oil (mining) give us similar distribution, but differs from that of the distribution of kerosene, gasoline production; it shows that oil refinery might not be carried out at the same place beside the oil resources.

From the maps, we can see that the natural resources production concentrated according to the distribution of that particular natural resources, and that is where most labor is involved in the corresponding mining and corresponding industries as well.

The industries hold its main location in East and Central China, except for a special oil field belt in Northwestern China (Xinjiang Province). The special location of the oil belt in the desert area has attracted oil production industries there and involved a significant amount of workers in that region.