CHANGSHA -- Chinese geologists have uncovered a huge manganese deposit in Central China, with its overall potential reserve estimated to exceed 200 million tonnes, Geophysical and Geochemical Survey Institute of Hunan Province said Friday.

About 84 million tonnes of manganese ore deposit have already been discovered in the Qiyang-Lingling Basin of Yongzhou, Hunan province.

"Manganese is an essential raw material for industries such as steel, new energy and advanced materials," said Liao Fengchu, director of the institute.

Researchers have also found a substantial manganese ore body with significant industrial potential following a recent drilling at a depth of over 1,016 meters in the basin, said Xu Junwei, chief engineer of the institute.

China consumes millions of tonnes of manganese annually, with most of the ore imported, Liao noted.