ABSTRACT
Natural resources oftentimes play a crucial role in the economic development of a country. The national mineral statistics cover the reserves, output, import and export volume, and prices of major mineral products. There are detailed records on important minerals such as coal, but there is incomplete record about less-important products or little-known products. The information mainly includes direct surveys by local geological survey institutes, mail surveys, and customs reports. The data on China’s mining sector during the Republic of China period was incomplete to varying degrees. Government operations and foreign capital were basically the two major players in modern China, with little survival space for private capital. Therefore, the fast growth of this industry was inevitable in a sense and easy to understand. What is important is that this does not represent the growth and development of industry in China.
