Rare Stone Cultural Tourism Festival to open in Baotou

The 14th Rare Stone Cultural Tourism Festival is to open in Bayan Obo mining district, Baotou, in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on July 16, according to a report in the Baotou Daily.

The event will attract companies and stone dealers from across China, who will add their in-depth experience, expertise and knowledge of the market to the haul of different kinds of stones that they bring with them. The annual event is scheduled to run until the end of August.

Bayan Obo is a mining district abundant in mineral resources. Roughly translated from Mongolian, Bayan Obo means “a rich mountain.”

The district is one of the richest precious mineral deposits in the world. It contains many metals, including iron, rare earths metals and niobium. More than 71 chemical elements and 175 minerals have been exploited in the district.

A total of 100 million tons of rare earths have been found there, accounting for 41 percent of the world’s total. The district is known as "the world's largest rare earths mine.”

Earlier in 2005, Bayan Obo mining district invested in and built the first Rare Stone Exhibition Hall in Baotou city. The total area of the exhibition hall is nearly 200 square meters. More than 200 pieces of rare stone artwork given by collectors are exhibited there.

Relying on its rich and unique resources, the district has successively held 13 sessions of the rare stone cultural tourism festival.

This year’s session will boast various activities including a power walk, an opening ceremony, artistic performances and a rare earth trade fair.

A seminar on rare stones is to take place on July 16 at a special museum located in Bayan Obo mining district, which aims to promote the inspirational actions of two widely celebrated and heroic little sisters, Rongmei and Yurong. [Photo/Baotou Daily]