Read our Privacy Policy for more information about how we process your data.
You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the cookie icon in the footer.
As of 2023, coal dominated China's reserves at 173.1 billion short tons recoverable. It also held 26.02 billion barrels of oil and 234.99 trillion cubic feet of gas. Over the last decade, coal reserves grew significantly (+23%). EIA stopped publishing oil and gas proved reserves in 2023; the figures above use the latest archived release, while coal continues to update through 2023. Beyond fossil fuels, China is the world's largest producer of Phosphate Rock, Natural Graphite, and Gold, part of a critical-minerals base spanning 13 commodities tracked by USGS. It also holds the world's largest reserves of Rare Earths and top-five reserves of Zinc.
Oil reserves (2021)
26.02 B bbl
Natural gas reserves (2021)
234.99 TCF
Coal reserves (2023)
173.1 B ST
Rare Earths reserves (2025)
#144.0 Mt
Natural Graphite reserves (2025)
#1100.0 Mt
Zinc reserves (2025)
#260.0 Mt
China's reserve base was dominated by coal, the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel by energy content. Reserve estimates had been revised upward over the past decade, reflecting new discoveries or improved recovery technology.
China produces Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, plus 9 more among USGS-tracked critical minerals.
USGS marks 2025 production figures and all reserve estimates as estimated; some earlier production years are USGS estimates as well. Each commodity below charts its own mine-production history, with the 2025 reserve shown beneath its chart.