A large lead and zinc deposit, allegedly China's largest, has been discovered in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, local authorities announced on Sunday.

The deposit, with reserves of nearly 19 million tonnes, is located 5,500 meters above sea level in Hotan County in southern Xinjiang, according to the regional geological and mining bureau.

Local geologists spotted the 6.6-square-kilometer deposit in 2011. They surveyed it for about six years and found that over 99 percent of its reserves are exploitable.

Previously, Xinjiang had not been among China's six traditional bases for lead and zinc, which are widely used in metallurgy, chemistry, pharmacy, light industry and military industries.