As part of its regional exploration strategy Oxiana commenced exploration in China in 2004.

Oxiana’s focus is on the south-western Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan where highly prospective geology hosting many small scale gold, copper and base metals deposits and occurrences is contiguous with that of Laos and Thailand.

Oxiana is looking to discover and develop large scale mineral deposits within these geological belts through partnerships with Chinese companies and organisations. Oxiana is currently involved in the following exploration joint ventures in China:

Sichuan Yangtze Minerals Joint Venture
(Oxiana earning up to 85%)
Oxiana and the Chengdu Geology and Mineral Resources Development Institute through joint venture company Sichuan Yangtze Minerals, commenced exploring a highly prospective package of gold and base metals tenements in Sichuan province in August 2005. Exploration results in late 2006 highlighted a number of geochemical anomalies for follow-up during the 2007 field season.

Rexing JV
(Oxiana earning up to 80%)
A joint venture agreement was signed with Rexing Co., a private Chinese base metals producer, to explore for large base metal systems in prospective tenements held by Rexing in Yunnan Province.  Drilling is currently testing a series of geological, geochemical and geophysical targets highlighted by exploration during 2006 and 2007.

Oxiana’s China exploration activities are based from a regional exploration office in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Yunnan Jin Long Minerals (YJLM) Cooperative Joint Venture
(Oxiana earning up to 85%)
Following completion of the drilling program in late 2006, and evaluation of the results, no further work is underway at the Tangshan Gold project.  The JV is continuing to review projects of interest.

Related pages
Quarterly report - Exploration updates are provided on a quarterly basis.