A total of 138 minerals have been spotted so far in more than 4,000 locations, including 1,059 ore beds, in China's westernmost Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, a local official in charge of mining said on Thursday.

Li Lin, Party secretary of Mining Bureau of the autonomous region, said at the 50th anniversary of its establishment that eight minerals stand first in reserves while nine others take the second place, and 50 others are on the country's top 10 list.

The findings, a bonanza of copper, nickel and leopoldite make Xinjiang a strategic region in mineral resources supply, said the official.

Source: Xinhua