new mines in they own back yard

Could this be part of the reason why China are in no hurry. They are finding new mines in they own back yard.
Chinese authorities from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region confirmed Friday the discovery of a 50 tonnes gold deposit that also holds 187 million tonnes of iron and 1.5 million tonnes of zinc.
According to China's state-run Xinhua news agency the deposit is believed to have a potential economic value of 100 billion Yuan ($16.3 billion), and it is the result of six years of exploration at the Dunde Iron Mine in Hejing county.
Feng Jinxing, the geological team leader, told the news outlet the exploration is ongoing, adding that a mining plant will be constructed in the area, providing over 2,000 jobs.
Although it is the third mine discovered in the valley, today’s discovery is the second largest deposit found in the region's Tianshan Mountains, after May’s finding.
The area falls within the Narat-Hongliu River metallogenic belt, which suggests more precious metals will be discovered