China discovered nearly one million tons of lithium ore in Yajiang county, Sichuan province, marking Asia's largest known pegmatite monomer lithium ore source to date, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

"This has played an exemplary role in achieving a major breakthrough in finding lithium in China," said Wang Guanghua, minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources, on Wednesday.

Known as the "green energy metal in the 21st century," lithium is significant for carbon neutrality. It is essential in producing electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar batteries - China's new major export products. Data from the General Administration of Customs show that China's total exports of the three products surpassed 1 trillion yuan ($138.9 billion) for the first time last year.

Spodumene and lithium mica deposits are common in China. There are over 1,500 salt lakes nationwide, holding great potential for future lithium mining operations. Through further geological exploration, there is room to increase lithium reserves.