China said it had detected a total of 57 kinds of mineral resources in Qinghai Province, with their estimated total value being 16 trillion yuan (about US $2.3 trillion), reported China’s official Xinhua news agency Mar 14. And the province plans to invest 500 million yuan (about US $73.2 million) to explore for more mineral resources.The report cited the province's Land and Resources Bureau as saying the money will be used to explore mineral resources in the region's Qaidam Basin over the period of 2010-2012.

Like Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai, which makes up the bulk of the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo and parts of Kham, is a major source of significant numbers and qualities of minerals for the PRC. China has major ongoing and planned projects for exploration, development and extraction of mineral resources in both the territories, raising serious concerns about deteriorating environmental conditions as well threats to their traditional demographic character and cultural identity.

Source : Tibetan Review