Based on an introduction of the background and operational effectiveness of the Central Geological Exploration Fund, the important role of the fund in mineral exploration and its profound significance to the market-oriented reform of the geological exploration industry are elaborated. Then, the main problems to be solved urgently are analyzed based on the implementation of the fund project. Some thoughts for promoting reform of the fund are finally put forward in consideration of the current development of the mining sector, actual situation of state finance, as well as the characteristics of the Central Geological Exploration Fund.

A micro- and nano-indentation test was performed for CoCrFeNiMn high entropy alloy. The relationship between the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density of CoCrFeNiMn and reciprocal value of real indentation depth (1/h) was obtained under different working conditions, and the influence of elastic factor (Δe) on GND density was also explored. The results show that GND density with the consideration of elastic deformation (ρ_Ge) presents a nonlinear relationship with 1/h, while GND density without the consideration of influence of elastic deformation (ρ_G) has a linear relation with 1/h. Based on the comparison of variation of ρ_G/ρ_Ge with the indentation depth, it is found that the ratio of ρ_G/ρ_Ge is 3-4 when the indentation depth is less than 500 nm, indicating that elastic factor can have an obvious impact on the GND density at shallow indentation. And, the ratio of ρ_G/ρ_Ge is approaching 1 when the indentation depth is up to 3 000 nm. It is shown that as indentation depth increases, dislocation slip gradually dominates deformation.

Based on an analysis of a trend in global patent application and distribution of patented technologies for second life power batteries, as well as a discussion on the global competition situation and hotspots in R & D of technologies in this industry, the relevant patent application situation in China is analyzed. It is found that the number of applications for patents on second life power batteries in various countries is steadily increasing, and there is still room for improvement. The classification, detection, screening, and evaluation of retired power batteries have always been the hotspots in technical R & D and are still in development, for which the patent applications present stable upward trend. China, as a major source of relevant technologies, has been playing an important role in patent portfolio, which is consistent with global development trends. The applications for patents on relevant technologies are still expected to increase in the future. Therefore, it is recommended that relevant enterprises should intensify their efforts in R & D to seize opportunities in the industry, and also improve the patent portfolio.

The out-of-life saggar after repeated use for LiCoO₂ sintering in industry was taken to explore its erosion mechanism during high temperature synthesis of LiCoO₂ by adopting fluorescence analysis, chemical composition analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, microstructure and energy spectrum analysis. Results show that when saggar is used to hold basic cobalt carbonate and lithium carbonate and calcined at 950 ℃ for 15 h, it is eroded and damaged after 15 times of operation. During LiCoO₂ synthesis, saggar is mainly eroded by lithium ions, with the dominant erosion products including tetragonal LiAlO_2, α-LiAlO_2, LiAlSiO_4, Li₃AlSiO₅ and Li_3.17Si_0.7S_0.3O_4. Cobalt ions are not involved in the chemical erosion but the synthesized lithium cobalt compounds migrate along the pores and also deposit along the migrating pores of saggar.

Flotation tests were carried out for a low-grade complex copper ore from Hubei province. The influences of grinding fineness, reagent type and dosage on flotation indices were investigated. A closed-circuit flotation flowsheet consisting of one stage of roughing, three stages of cleaning and three stages of scavenging was adopted to process this kind of ore with Cu grade of feed ore of 0.42%, grinding fineness of -0.074 mm 75.2%, butyl xanthate combined with Z-200 and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate as collectors, calcium hypochlorite combined with lime as regulator. As a result, a copper concentrate with Cu grade of 12.15% and recovery of 85.05% was recovered.

A flotation experimental study was conducted to process a copper sulfide ore. A closed-circuit flowsheet consisting of copper preferential flotation and sulfur recovering from copper flotation tailings was adopted, resulting in a copper concentrate grading 23.01% Cu at 95.47% recovery and a sulfur concentrate grading 35.72% S at 58.48% recovery.

A kind of flake graphite with grain size D₅₀ of 40.3 μm from Inner Mongolia was taken in a spherification test by adopting a QCJ vortex micropulverizer, and two kinds of spherical products with D₅₀ of 16.42 μm and 11.68 μm respectively were obtained, of which the corresponding tapped density increased from 0.46 g/cm³ to 0.95 g/cm³ and 0.80 g/cm³ respectively, presenting a total spherification rate of 50.48%. The spherical products were purified with mixed acid, with the fixed carbon content therein up to 99.95% and 99.97% respectively, and then the electrochemical performance of the products was tested. The anode material with those two products delivered initial discharge specific capacities of 366.60 mAh/g and 364.30 mAh/g, respectively, and presented initial charge-discharge efficiency of 93.40% and 92.32%, respectively. It is shown that the capacity retention rate can exceed 99% after 30 cycles at 0.1C current.

The impact of large-diameter pressure-relief borehole arrangement and drilling parameters on roadway stability was studied. It is found that arrangement of boreholes in a two-row pattern, compared to boreholes in a single-row pattern, can benefit stress shift and control of roadway deformation. By adopting the arrangement of boreholes in a single-row pattern and a two-row pattern, the deformation at both sides was reduced by 6.05% and 15.44% respectively, and the original maximum stress was reduced from 39.61 MPa to 33.50 MPa and 32.70 MPa respectively. It is also found that boreholes should be arranged, as much as possible, near the center of two sides, penetrating the plastic zone to the place with the maximum stress. And the spacing between boreholes should be determined based on the horizontal distance of the plastic zone of boreholes, and the burden spacing should be less than the height of stress-relaxed zone.

The effects of different cooling rates in retrogression and re-aging on the microstructure and properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy profiles were investigated by performing tests on hardness, electrical conductivity, room temperature tensile, local corrosion and stress corrosion, combined with microstructure characterization by using metallographic microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that retrogression with cooling rates of 660.0, 12.7 and 0.5 ℃/min, the alloy has a tensile strength of 663.1, 653.4 and 636.9 MPa, an electrical conductivity of 35.1% IACS、35.2% IACS and 36.8% IACS, an exfoliation corrosion in the form of EC, EB-and EB, and a stress corrosion sensitivity of 4.7%, 4.0% and 3.2%, respectively. The precipitates at grain boundaries along the direction of length, with an average size of 48.7, 54.7 and 68.7 nm, are distributed with a spacing of 28.9, 33.6 and 40.3 nm, respectively. The variation in size and distribution is the main reason for variation of the above-mentioned properties. With both mechanical properties and corrosion resistance taken into consideration, it is appropriate to select cooling rates ranging from 0.5 ℃/min to 12.7 ℃/min for retrogression.

A kind of ore from Inner Mongolia containing 1.89% Pb, 1.84% Zn and 125 g/t Ag was taken in a flotation experiment for recovering the valuable elements therein. From the process mineralogy study, it is found that the Pb and Zn therein exist mainly in the form of galena and sphalerite, while Ag is in the form of freibergite. A preferential flotation process was adopted for treating this ore, in which zinc sulfate and sodium sulfite were taken as sphalerite depressants, propyl xanthate, ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate and 25^# dithiophosphate were taken as the collector for lead flotation, and then copper sulfate was taken as the activator and butyl xanthate was taken as the collector for zinc flotation from the tailings of lead flotation. A lead concentrate grading 52.71% Pb, 2.29% Zn, containing 3 182.00 g/t Ag was produced at 94.22% Pb recovery and 82.00% Ag recovery, and a zinc concentrate grading 46.11% Zn, 0.76% Pb, containing 255 g/t Ag was also yielded at 87.31% Zn recovery and 6.78% Ag recovery, showing that silver was mainly pulled into lead concentrate. It is concluded that this processing technique can bring not only a good Pb/Zn separation effect, but also an effective recovery of Ag.