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The region abounds in mineral reserves. It boasts 77 per cent of the world's deposits of rare earth and its coal deposits amount to 210 billion tons, a quarter of China's total. Its reserves of gold, mica, asbestos, chromium, iron, copper , zinc, lead and salt are among the largest in the country while its natural forests account for as much as a- sixth of China's timber reserves . There are also vast grasslands, making it China's leading livestock- breeding centre .