Chinese company makes breakthroughs in rare-earth exploration

China Rare Earth Group Co., Ltd., a state-owned enterprise, has made breakthroughs in mineral exploration, the group announced on Saturday.

The output of rare-earth oxides is projected to increase by 4.96 million tons, according to the group.

At a symposium and a midterm evaluation on the exploration, experts concluded that the search for rare-earth minerals in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Sichuan Province has made remarkable progress.

Rare earths consist of 17 elements that are widely used in high-tech products ranging from flat-screen TVs to lasers and hybrid cars.

China holds the world's largest reserves of rare earth mineral and is also its largest producer.

Movie fans stepped into the shooting locations of racing-comedy film "Pegasus 3" to explore the industrial site that served as the racetrack in the film during a public open day event on Saturday in Ningbo City, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"Pegasus 3" is the third installment in Director Han Han's racing-comedy franchise starring Shen Teng, one of China's most bankable comedic actors. As of Monday, it has surpassed a box office of over 41 billion yuan (around 596 million U.S. dollars), according to ticketing tracker Maoyan.

A refining plant belonging to Sinopec Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Company, a key filming location for "Pegasus 3," saw its unique industrial landscape transformed into a futuristic cyberpunk-style racetrack in the film.

On the open day event at the plant, many fans located the starting point of the "Muchen 100 Rally" qualifying track from the movie while gathering near the entrance. Refining towers, pipe corridors and lighting perfectly matched the shots seen in the film.

"I'm so happy to visit the plant after seeing 'Pegasus 3.' Seeing these buildings and lights in person makes me feel very proud," said Zheng Sijun, a movie fan.

Many industrial facilities, roads and embankment greenways in the plant area appeared in the film's racetrack scenes. These real industrial settings became a vital part of the movie's visual effects.

Fans also entered the central control room of the refinery to get a close-up look at operations.

"When watching the movie, we only saw a general view of the plant on screen. But coming to the site, you realize this is a truly huge, vast and awe-inspiring industrial complex," said Wang Ziyi, another movie fan.

The event's success indicates that the public's passion for film can be translated into educational initiatives, boosting awareness of China's advancements in productive forces among everyday people in the country.