Ordos’ territory is rich in energy mineral resources. So far a total of 12 categories and 35 varieties of important mineral resources have been discovered.
Coal Ordos boasts 149.6 billion tons of proven coal reserves, which accounts for one sixth of the total reserves in China. If calculated from 1500 meters underground to the surface, Ordos’ total coal reserves almost reach one trillion tons. Of the city’s over 87 thousand square kms of land, under 70% of which are coal buried. According to their geographical locations, four coalfields are demarcated. In the east is the Zhengeer Coalfield; in the west is the Zhuozishan Coalfield; in the south is the Dongsheng Coalfield and in the north is the Wulangeer Coalfield. Ordos’ coal reserves are not only in a large quantity and have a wide coverage, but also are of a great variety, including brown coal, long flame coal, non-agglomerating coal, weakly caking coal, gas coal, fat coal and coke. Most of coal mines are buried in shallow depth and are thus easy to exploit. Except Wulangeer coalfield, other coalfields are all under exploitation.
Oil and Natural Gas: Newly discovered in Ordos, oil and gas fields are mainly located in the middle and west of Ordos. In the north of Wulan – Geer, i.e., Hangmian Qi, geological survey teams have discovered more than twenty fields. In Ertuoke Qi, 1.1 billion cubic meters of oil and gas has been proven. In the south of Wushen Qi oil and gas reserves are also found. Till now these two resources are still under survey.
Oil Shale Mainly distributed in the middle of Ordos, including Dongsheng District, Zhungeer Qi, Yijinhuoluo Qi. Up to date a total of over 370 million tons have been proven, among which 660 thousand tons are recoverable reserves. The depth of deposit is usually 3 – 5 meters, and its oil content is 1.5%--10.4%.
Ordos’ chemical resources are also in large quantities and of a great variety, such as trona, mirabilite, salt, sulfur, and peat. As associated minerals, there are sylvite, magnesium and phosphorus.
Trona Mainly distributed in the lakes of Wushen Qi, Ertuoke Qi and Hangmian Qi in the west of Ordos. There are 19 salt lakes in total which contain 700 billion tons of trona; besides, 13 million tons of trona exists as associated mineral. Ordos’ trona contains 19% sodium carbonate plus sodium bicarbonate, less than 4% sodium chloride, less than 13% sodium sulfate, less than 20% water insoluble matter, and thus has a high value in industrial production.
Mirabilite Mainly distributed in Datela Qi, and the north of Hangmian Qi. The proportion of mirabilite in lake water equals 20%--19%. The total reserves approximate 7 billion tons, most of which suitable for open exploitation. The super large mirabilite mine in Datela Qi has 6.87 billion tons of reserves and is buried 100 meters deep on average. Considering its scale, quality and conditions for exploitation, this mirabilite mine is rare not only at home but abroad.
Salt Mainly distributed in Hangjin Qi, Ertuokeqian Qi and Wuke Qi. There are 14 salt fields with total reserves of 9.56 million tons.
Sulfur Ordos’ sulfur co-occurs with the iron deposit, and is produced in the form of iron pyrite. Mainly distributed in Zhungeer Qi, Dongsheng Distrtict and Yijinhuoluo Qi. The total reserves amount to 2.325 tons.
Peat Peat is a mineral formed by outer-dynamics geological action, which is rich is organic matter and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other elements necessary for crop production. Ordos lies in the Ordos Basin, which partly explains the concentration of peat fields here. At present peat fields have been discovered in eight districts (or Qis). The total reserves amount to 5.376 million tons, which can generate 1100 kcal / kg - 2400 kcal / kg heat, and its organic matter content is 25% - 40%.
Construction materials Ordos also has an advantage in construction materials, which are distributed in eight districts (or Qis). The varieties mainly contain gypsum, limestone, quartz sandstone, quartzite, dolomite, loess, marble, granite, graphite, etc..
Gypsum Mainly distributed in Ertuokeqian Qi, Ertuoke Qi, and Hangjin Qi. The total reserves equal 3.5 billion tons, among which industrial reserves approximate 150 million tons, high-level gypsum for food production, medical use and handicraft manufacturing 4 million tons, and first-class gypsum with light weight and high strength 149 million tons. The thickest deposit reaches nearly thirty meters.
Limestone Mainly distributed in Zhungeer Qi and Ertuoke Qi. There are three fields with total reserves of 306 million tons. The calcium oxide content is 51.84% - 52.95%, and the magnesium oxide is 1.2% - 1.86%. Ordos’ limestone is ideal for high-quality cement products and suitable for open pit mining.
Quartz sandstone and Quartzite There are six production fields in total. The total reserves of quartz sandstone are 5.348 million tons and that of quartzite 445 million tons, all of excellent quality. The silicon dioxide content is 82.33%-98.877%. Located in simple geological conditions, covered by a thin layer, Ordos’ quartz sandstone and quartzite have a stripping ratio of about 1:1.
Loess Widely distributed in the Ordos Plateau. The general thickness of deposit is 20 – 100 meters. The major components are quartz sand and clay; among which the aluminum oxide content is 11.74%, the silica content is 65%, and the calcium oxide content is about 6%. The loss on ignition is 6.68%, making Ordos loess first-class brick building materials.
Granite Mainly distributed in the Qianligou of Ertuoke Qi. The total reserves approximate 12 million cubic meters. The ore body takes on a color of carnation, with few black spots. Ordos granite is of high hardness and strength. The conditions for mining are also superb.
Marble Distributed in Yinken’aobao, Gaotouyao County of Dalate Qi. Ordos marble is in the color of grey or white, sucrosic, and the average thickness of the rock stratum is about 40 meters, making fine raw material for construction and cement production.
The metallurgical materials and auxiliary materials of Ordos, though their reserves not as large as the energy resources, chemical resources and construction materials, are still in great quantities and have a high economic value. For example, iron reserves reach 14.128 million tons, among which 5.201 million tons are industrial reserves; with the iron content of ore 26%--62%. The total reserves of refractory clay amount to 4330 million tons, among which 3.236 million tons are industrial reserves, 14.844 million tons are refractory clay with high aluminum content, whose refractoriness is 1770℃--17904℃; 3670 million tons are hard refractory clay, whose refractoriness is 1790℃--1850℃; 51.868 million tons are soft refractory clay, whose refractoriness is 1610℃--1700℃. Ordos refractory clay can not only be used as auxiliary material of metallurgy, but also as raw material for ceramics production.
Quartz sand Different from quartz sandstone used as construction material, quartz sand is produced in the form of raw sand, which has not undergone diagenesis or consolidation, and is mainly for the use of steel casting and glass ware production. Total reserves in Ordos are 42.269 million tons, among which 3.9181 million tons are industrial reserves.
Wildlife resources There are more than 2,000 species of wild animals in Ordos, a considerable number of which are under state-level protection, such as the relict gull, which belongs to the world’s endangered animal list and is one of the bird species human understand latest. According to survey, Erdos’s relict gull population is the largest among the three breeding populations in the world. So far more than about 5,000 gulls have been found. In addition, there are white swans under the second-level protection, and stone martens, yellow-throated martens with high economic value.
Wild plant resources Ordos has more than 800 species of plants, about 400 kinds of which can be used for medicine, such as liquorice, ephedra, Chinese wolfberry, starwort root, polygala, and winter flowers. Output of licorice and ephedra is larger. In addition, there are quite a number of desert plants, for example, sea buckthorn and pugionium, which can be developed for food production.