China has made major breakthrough in sylvite applied technique. At the just-concluded "National Grand Conference to Commend 2004 National Outstanding Sci-Tech", the Project of Development and Utilization of Sylvite Resources in Lop Nur region, which depended on Blue-Star Changsha Design and Research Insitute technologically, has won the top prize for advance of science and technology.

The Environment Appraisal Report on the Project of Annual Production of 1.2 million Potash Fertilizer in Lop Nur Sylsite Base has been examined and approved by State Environmental Protection Administration, and State Council and Central Military Commission have also given green light to the establishment of sylvite mine in Lop Nur region, which marked the overall initiation of sylsite application and development in China.

China is one of the major consumers of sylsite, the potash fertilizer in particular. In recent years, China needs to import sylsite annually. As a matter of fact, China is rich in sylsite resources. The initial proven deposit of the sylsite field discovered in Lop Nur in 1995 reached 250 million tons. However, technique of potash fertilizer for farming purposes has been nonexistent for a long time.

The Project of Development and Utilization of Sylvite Resources in Lop Nur region employs the technique of producing potassium sulphate through magnesium sulfate subtype brine, which filled a technological gas of this kind and made China among the fewer countries that could produce potassium sulphate from brine directly taken from salt lake.

Currently, the exploration, technique experiment and research, geographic reconnaissance, clay resources and water resources reconnaissance and other major preparatory work have been implemented. And an international sulphate sylvite base will soon be set up in the centre region of Lop Nur.