Chinese scientists have discovered a corridor of gold, copper and antimony resources in the northern Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, with remote sensing and other new technology.

Sources attending a meeting on Tibet's natural resources in this capital of central China province of Henan said the corridor, stretching some 1,800 kilometers from east to west and covering 330,000 square kilometers, is predicted to hold six trillion yuan (US$723 billion) worth of minerals, most of which are precious metals.

The corridor, where 52 kinds of minerals have been found, boasts forests on the east and pastures on the west, said an expert, adding that it is "an important route for tourists who pour into the 'roof of the world' every year."

The study on the "corridor of resources" is one of 13 projects in a survey of Tibet's natural resources, a joint research program carried out by seven Chinese institutions.

Earlier this year, Chinese scientists discovered a petroleum-bearing belt extending 100 kilometers in northern Tibet, which is predicted to hold hundreds of millions of tons of oil.

(Eastday.com.cn 09/13/2001)