The morning mist has not yet dissipated, and the roar of machines can already be heard in the valley of Qiaotou Town, Pingshan District, Benxi City, Liaoning Province. On April 10, 2026, as the first drilling rig advanced deeper into the geological layers, the Huahonggou Iron Mine, which had been dormant for billions of years, officially "woke up" - a super large mining project with a total investment of 11 billion yuan and a designed annual output of 15-20 million tons of iron ore, fully launched drilling construction in the spring breeze.

Under this land area of 12.38 square kilometers, it is inferred that there are 1.895 billion tons of iron ore resources, belonging to a rare super large deep iron ore deposit with superior resource endowment, known as the "deep earth treasure". From the successful bid for exploration rights by a subsidiary of China Minmetals Corporation for 2.355 billion yuan in October 2025, to the establishment of a project operation company in November of the same year, to obtaining exploration permits in February of this year and completing project approval in March, the project has steadily progressed at an astonishing pace.

This is a historic moment of industrial upgrading in Benxi! "The person in charge on site couldn't hide their excitement. The Huahonggou Iron Mine is not only a huge resource in the digital sense, but also a key step for Liaoning to build a national level iron ore base and ensure the security of China's strategic mineral resources. After the completion of the project, it will directly stabilize the raw material supply of steel enterprises in Northeast China, strengthen the complete industrial chain from iron ore mining, steel smelting to deep processing, and inject lasting momentum into the regional real economy.

Benxi speed to complete relocation in one month

Behind the start of the project is a race against time. Under the deployment of the Municipal Party Committee and Government, the Pingshan District Committee and Government immediately established a work team and efficiently completed the relocation of the first phase of the project land in just one month, paving the way for the project. The District Natural Resources Bureau, District Forestry and Grassland Bureau and other departments are making every effort to shorten the approval time limit, optimize the processing procedures, and complete key procedures by the end of March.

We are reversing the schedule and pushing forward with pressure to ensure that major projects take root as soon as possible, "said a member of the work team. Full chain and efficient government services have become an important guarantee for the rapid progress of projects.

The Chinese Plan for Future Mines

From the beginning of planning, Huahonggou Iron Mine has anchored the development direction of modern, green and intelligent mines. The project not only focuses on efficient resource development, but also integrates environmental protection, energy conservation, and intelligent production into the entire design process, committed to creating a demonstration project for the development of deep iron mines in China.

This means that in the future, there will not only be a huge production scale here, but also advanced mining technology, clean energy utilization, digital control platforms, and strict ecological restoration measures, achieving the unity of economic and ecological benefits.

Build a solid ballast stone for resource security

As an important old industrial base in China, the steel industry in Northeast China has long faced the challenge of high dependence on foreign raw materials. The completion of Huahonggou Iron Mine will significantly enhance the independent and controllable ability of the regional steel industry chain, and reduce external supply chain risks.

More importantly, the project will continue to drive local employment and related industry development, help increase people's income, and empower the real economy to improve quality and efficiency. A mine will activate an industrial chain and a regional economic ecology, providing solid resource support for the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China.

The drilling rig roared and advanced towards the depths of the earth; Blueprint laying out, moving towards the future of the industry. The commencement of construction at Huahonggou Iron Mine marks a solid step forward for China in the areas of strategic mineral resource security and deep land development. This "steel giant ship" carrying the mission of resource security and regional development is breaking through the waves and setting sail.Editor/Yang Meiling