因为这场盛会，第26次与你相遇。

老朋友、老地方，让对话与交流如此融洽，也让共识与信任更加稳固。在这里，我们一起见证矿业的繁荣兴盛，也共同经历矿业的凛冽寒冬；感触矿业深度调整的强劲脉搏，也洞见矿业壮阔前行的美好未来。

25年，崎岖成大道，阡陌变通途。中国国际矿业大会一路成长、日臻完善。借助这方平台，中国矿业以开阔的胸襟、开放的姿态，加强与国际矿业的沟通融合，以一次次充分的对话，促成一次次多赢的合作。国际合作路径从无到有，多领域交流平台从小到大。一个更加绿色、更加安全、更加和谐、更加智能、更加高效的现代矿业，精彩于世界舞台，吸引了越来越多的志同道合者。

作为全球规模最大、最具影响力的矿业展会之一，中国国际矿业大会无疑是全球矿业发展一个非常重要的风向标和晴雨表，从中可以一窥国际矿业发展的风云变幻、大势所向。

我们看到，合作仍是一大主题。经过25年的发展，中国国际矿业大会已成为国内外矿业企业参与矿业国际产能合作、实现共赢发展的重要平台。以“共促矿业合作 共创美好未来”为主题，本届大会一如既往聚焦开放合作，推进践行共建“一带一路”倡议，旨在促进和深化国际矿业合作，实现互利共赢。

我们看到，“朋友圈”在持续扩大。本届大会迎来30多个国家、地区和国际组织的来宾，近400家国内外参展商参展，近万名参会代表和专业观众参加大会，表现出高涨的热情。

我们看到，矿业发展前沿在突破。1场主题论坛、5场高层论坛、18场专题论坛和13场专场推介将次第拉开帷幕……矿业领域的新进展、新动向、新趋势将在这里分享碰撞，矿业领域的新理论、新技术、新方法将在这里交流展示，矿业领域的新认识、新成果、新经验将在这里积淀呈现。

此时此刻，世界的目光再一次聚焦中国、聚焦矿业。

这是一个传统而不断焕新的行业。

矿产资源是经济社会发展的重要物质基础，矿业已成为全球经济不可或缺的重要力量。时至今日，矿业的基础性地位依然没有改变，并在加快经济社会全面绿色转型中扮演着关键角色。

当前，世界进入新的动荡变革期，全球经济复苏动能不足，全球矿业发展依然面临诸多挑战。

无疑，这一形势将进一步加速全球矿业格局的深刻变革，世界各地正同此冷暖。

面对严峻复杂的国际环境以及全球矿业供需格局的深化调整，构建矿业命运共同体、深入推进国际合作是当务之急。与人类经济社会发展深度交融的矿业，只有在全球范围可持续的交流合作中才能得以发展繁荣。让不同国家、不同阶层、不同人群都能从资源的可持续和绿色开发中受益，始终是发展矿业的终极目标。

历史经验也证明，世界上没有哪个国家能够完全依赖本国的矿产资源满足自身所有的需求。矿产资源分布与利用的不均衡性，决定了必须通过加强国际交流与合作，实现更广泛更深层次的能源资源互补与共赢。

多年来，我国矿业行业秉持互利共赢的原则，与世界很多国家在矿产资源勘查开发方面开展了卓有成效的合作，将绿色技术、绿色标准、绿色经验带到国外，把数字矿山、智能矿山、绿色矿山建到国外，有序推进新能源产业链合作，积极探索矿业高质量发展的共赢之路。与此同时，致力于形成开放稳定的国际矿产品市场，完善资源勘查开发合作机制，构建安全高效的矿产资源保障体系。

我们有理由相信，矿业领域这样的合作还将持续，并不断深入。本届大会推出多个高质量论坛、专场推介等环节，正是有意促成国家与地区之间、产业之间、产业内部之间的开放与合作，形成多方合作共赢及方式多元的发展模式。

如今的中国矿业，早已放弃不可持续的粗放式的发展模式，更加开放与现代，也更加理性与负责——注重数字技术的赋能、产业革新的裂变，注重资源安全与生态环境的统筹、矿山建设与绿水青山的协同。

事实上，当前中国经济增长展现出的强大韧性和向好态势，不仅为全球经济增长注入稳定力量，也让矿业经济信心回归的步伐更加坚定。2024年1-7月，我国采矿业固定资产投资同比增长19.3%，涨幅较年初扩大了4.9个百分点，明显高于2023年全年的2.1%，延续了良好的增长势头。

显然，这又是一个积极信号，对于推动中国矿业乃至全球矿业经济发展与繁荣具有重要的意义。

志合者，不以山海为远。让我们再一次紧紧相拥，于本次大会中预判不确定性中的确定性，摸准矿业生生不息的新脉动，捕捉矿业转型发展的新机遇，深化交流合作，共促矿业繁荣，为实现人与自然和谐共生的现代化、构建人类命运共同体贡献更多的矿业力量、矿业智慧、矿业方案。

以此为坐标，播种下希望，共赴一场关于矿业、关于人类美好未来的时间之约吧！

Because of this event, we meet for the 26th time.

Old friends and old places encourage cordial dialogues and foster robust consensus and trust. Here, we have observed the growth and expansion of the mining industry, as well as the challenges and setbacks it has faced. We have gained insight into the mining industry's strong pulse of deep adjustment and have seen the potential for its continued advancement.

25 years of hard effort have transformed rugged paths into paved avenues and challenging terrain into accessible routes. The China Mining Conference and Exhibition has undergone considerable growth and improvement over time. Through this platform, China's mining industry has endeavored to enhance its communication and integration with the international mining industry with an open mind and a spirit of openness, striving to foster a mutually beneficial and win-win partnership through constructive dialogue. The international cooperation path has evolved from a nascent concept to a tangible reality, while the multidisciplinary exchange platform has expanded from a modest beginning to a significant presence. A greener, safer, more harmonious, smarter, and more efficient modern mining industry is a valuable asset on the world stage, attracting more and more like-minded professionals.

As one of the world's largest and most influential mining exhibitions, the China Mining Conference and Exhibition is an invaluable barometer of global mining development, providing vital insights into the international mining landscape, and a comprehensive overview of the latest trends.

We can see that collaboration remains a pivotal focus. Over the past 25 years, the China Mining Conference and Exhibition has evolved into a major platform for domestic and international mining enterprises to engage in international cooperation in production capacity in the mining industry, fostering mutually beneficial partnerships. This year's conference, themed "Promoting Mining Cooperation and Creating a Better Future", maintains a focus on openness and cooperation while furthering the "Belt and Road" initiative, aiming to facilitate and enhance international mining collaboration and foster mutually beneficial outcomes.

We can see that the circle of friends continues to expand. This year's conference welcomes the participation of more than 30 countries, regions, and international organizations, nearly 400 domestic and foreign exhibitors, and nearly 10,000 delegates and professional audience members, showing high enthusiasm.

We can see that the frontiers of development are being pushed to new heights. Over the course of this event, we will witness the launch of a comprehensive program that includes 1 theme forum, 5 high-level forums, 18 thematic forums, and 13 special promotions. New developments, trends, and directions in the mining industry will be shared and collided here. New theories, technologies, and methods in the mining industry will be exchanged and displayed here. New understanding, achievements, and experiences in the mining industry will be accumulated and presented here.

At this juncture, the world's attention is once again focused on China and the mining industry.

This is a traditional but continually evolving industry.

Mineral resources serve as a cornerstone for economic and social progress, and the mining industry stands firm as a vital and indispensable pillar within the global economy. To this day, The foundational role of mining remains unshaken, and it plays an important part in catalyzing a comprehensive green transformation of our economic and social landscapes.

In the present moment, the global economy is entering a new period of turbulence and change, and the current momentum of global economic recovery is insufficient. The development of the global mining industry still faces various challenges.

Undoubtedly, this complex situation will accelerate the profound shifts in the global mining dynamic, with the whole world facing similar challenges.

In light of the challenging and intricate international environment and the deepening realignment of the global mining supply and demand dynamics, it is crucial to foster a collaborative mining community and promote international cooperation. The mining industry, deeply intertwined with the economic and social development of humanity, can only flourish and develop through sustainable global exchanges and collaborative efforts. It has always been the ultimate goal of mining development to ensure that diverse nations, classes, and individuals benefit from sustainable and green resource development.

Historical evidence has demonstrated that no single country can rely solely on its own mineral resources to meet all its needs. The uneven distribution and utilization of mineral resources necessitate that a broader and more profound complementarity and win-win situation in energy resources be achieved through enhanced international dialogue and cooperation.

Over the years, China's mining industry, adhering to the principle of mutual benefit, has engaged in fruitful collaborations with numerous countries worldwide in the exploration and development of mineral resources, introduced green technologies, standards, and experiences abroad, built digital, intelligent, and green mines abroad, promoted the cooperation of the new energy industry chain in an orderly manner, and actively explored the win-win solution of high-quality development in mining industry. At the same time, we are committed to forming an open and stable international mineral market, improving the cooperation mechanism for resource exploration and development, and constructing a safe and efficient mineral resources guarantee system.

We are confident that such collaborative efforts in the mining sector will persist and intensify. This year's conference, with its array of high-quality forums and special promotions, aims to contribute to the opening up and cooperation between countries and regions, inter-industries, and intra-industries, fostering a multi-party win-win solution and a diversified development model.

Today, China's mining industry has long abandoned its unsustainable and rudimentary development model, evolving to be more open, modern, rational, and responsible. The initiative prioritizes the advancement of digital technology and the acceleration of industrial innovation, the integration of resource security with ecological environments, and the collaborative development of mine construction with the protection of lucid waters and green mountains.

In fact, the strong resilience and positive trends currently demonstrated by China's economic growth not only provide a stabilizing force for global economic advancement but also reinforce confidence in the mining economy's recovery. From January to July 2024, China's investment in the mining industry's fixed assets increased by 19.3% year-on-year, which is a 4.9% rise compared to the beginning of the year and significantly higher than the 2.1% growth for the full year of 2023, thus maintaining a strong growth trajectory.

This is undoubtedly another positive signal, which is of great significance for promoting the development and prosperity of China's mining industry and, by extension, the global mining economy.

Those who share the same vision are not separated by mountains and oceans. Let us once again embrace each other tightly, foresee the uncertainties within the certainties, feel the new pulse of the mining industry, seize the new opportunities for its transformation and development, deepen cooperation and communication, promote mining prosperity together, strive for the modernization of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, and contribute to building a community of shared destiny, offering more mining power, wisdom, and solutions in this conference.

Let us use this conference as a point of reference to plant the seeds of hope, and embark on a journey towards a promising future for the mining industry and for humanity as a whole!

Workers stand in front of Songke 2, the deepest borehole ever drilled for scientific purposes by Asians, in Anda, Heilongjiang province, on Saturday. [Photo by GU LANDING/FOR CHINA DAILY]

The deepest borehole to be drilled for scientific purposes by Asians-the first to penetrate a continental layer of strata from the earth's Cretaceous period-was completed in northeastern China on Saturday, four years after it began. It reached a depth of 7,018 meters.

The project, Songke 2, in Anda, Heilongjiang province, started in April 2014, led by the China Geological Survey in cooperation with about 20 organizations, including the Institute of Exploration Technology, SinoProbe Center, China University of Geosciences, Jilin University and Daqing Oilfield Co.

"On behalf of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, I would like to congratulate you on the project, which achieved an unprecedented depth," said Ulrich Harms, head of the ICDP's operational support group.

"These technical achievements are outstanding and will have a long-term impact "on partnerships between industry and science worldwide, Harms said. "And it will have an impact on the scientists involved."

The borehole is located in the Songliao Basin, one of the largest continental sedimentary basins in the world. It holds China's most important reserves of oil and natural gas.

"The success of the project will provide key technologies and equipment for exploration and experimental research deep within the earth," said Cheng Qiuming, secretary-general of the International Union of Geological Sciences. "It will also open a new space for clean energy prospecting in Songliao Basin."

Li Yuyan, chief engineer of Heilongjiang's Department of Land and Resources, said: "These technical achievements are outstanding and have been recognized both at home and abroad. We hope these energy sources can be developed as soon as possible, which will bring great benefit to the local residents and promote the economic development of the province."

Wang Chengshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist of the project said: "In the 21st century, we have to face new challenges of survival and development, as well as huge challenges of resource scarcity, environmental change and frequent disasters. Therefore, we must go further into the deep earth, which has become the consensus of all the scientists in the world."

The drilling project, Wang added, "achieved the first borehole in the world that goes through the continental stratum of the Cretaceous period, which has shown China's deep-earth capabilities".

Harms said important scientific papers are emerging from the project, including descriptions of past climate change due to volcanism and a physical impact at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, which makes Songliao an even more important site for China.

The Kola borehole in northwestern Russia remains the deepest in the world. It reached a depth of 12,262 meters in 1989.