Chinese geologists have confirmed the discovery of a new mineral species, Jinxiuite, found in an exceptionally rich nickel-cobalt deposit in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The discovery was made at the Longhua nickel-cobalt deposit in Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, an area already known for its unusually high concentrations of critical metals. Scientists say the tiny but complex mineral could play an important role in future mineral exploration and may also provide new insights into Earth’s long-term geological evolution.
The mineral was identified by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS) and has been officially approved by the International Mineralogical Association’s Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (IMA-CNMNC).
What is Jinxiuite?
Jinxiuite is now formally recognized as a new mineral species in the global mineral database following a rigorous international review process. This process evaluates a mineral’s chemical composition, crystal structure, and its distinction from all previously known minerals before granting approval.
The mineral is named after Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, where it was first identified in June 2025. According to the China Geological Survey, the discovery was later submitted to the IMA for verification and was subsequently approved.
Chemically, Jinxiuite is a sulfide mineral composed of nickel, bismuth, antimony, arsenic, and sulfur. Sulfide minerals form when metallic elements bond with sulfur to create solid crystalline structures. While sulfides such as pyrite are common, Jinxiuite stands out for its rare and valuable combination of metals.
How Jinxiuite Forms Deep Underground
Geophysicist Yan Jiayong of CAGS explains that Jinxiuite forms through a process in which earlier nickel-bearing minerals are gradually replaced by material transported by hot, metal-rich fluids. As these fluids move through fractures in the surrounding rock, atoms rearrange themselves into a new and stable crystal structure, resulting in the formation of a previously unknown mineral.
This process, known as hydrothermal activity, plays a key role in building the dense nickel and cobalt veins observed in the Longhua deposit. As the fluids cool, the metals crystallize and accumulate along cracks and veins, creating ore bodies of unusually high grade.
The Longhua deposit is considered extraordinary by global mining standards. Geological surveys indicate that the ore contains approximately 17.5 percent nickel and 1.5 percent cobalt, nearly 80 times higher than conventional metallogenic benchmarks of about 0.2 percent for nickel and 0.02 percent for cobalt.
Researchers describe Longhua as a rare type of hydrothermal nickel-cobalt deposit, formed by low-temperature, arsenic-rich fluids capable of transporting large quantities of nickel and cobalt. Recent studies published in Ore Geology Reviews highlight how these fluids concentrated metals far beyond typical levels.
Such high-grade deposits are rare worldwide and draw significant attention from both scientists and resource planners.
Tang Hejun, a senior engineer at CAGS and a key member of the discovery team, notes that Jinxiuite contains several economically valuable metals, including nickel, cobalt, and bismuth. Further research is needed to determine how efficiently these metals can be extracted, a factor that will directly affect recovery rates and the economic viability of similar deposits.
Tang added that researchers plan to develop a theoretical exploration model using Jinxiuite as an indicator mineral. If Jinxiuite or related minerals are identified in future geological surveys, their presence could signal concealed nickel and cobalt ore bodies with potential economic value.
This approach could significantly improve exploration efficiency by allowing geologists to infer hidden mineralization based on small mineral clues.
Nickel and cobalt are critical materials used in jet engines, chemical processing equipment, and rechargeable batteries for smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. China currently relies heavily on imported cobalt, even as demand continues to grow with the expansion of electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems.
Experts quoted in Chinese media describe the Longhua deposit as strategically important, with the potential to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas resources.
Beyond its economic significance, scientists say Jinxiuite offers a valuable scientific record of how elements behaved under specific temperatures, pressures, and fluid conditions deep within the Earth.
Yan Jiayong notes that new minerals like Jinxiuite provide insight into geological processes spanning billions of years and may even inspire advances in materials science. The mineral’s unique structure could one day guide the development of new synthetic materials with special electrical, magnetic, or corrosion-resistant properties, though such applications remain at the research stage.
From a remote mining district in Guangxi to global discussions on energy security, advanced technology, and Earth science, the discovery of Jinxiuite highlights how even microscopic minerals can carry outsized importance.
The main official announcement of the discovery has been published by the China Geological Survey, marking Jinxiuite’s formal entry into the world’s mineral records.
