China starts drilling into 'Roof of the World'

China has begun secretly drilling into the Tibetan Plateau, an area known as the "Roof of the World" for its elevation and the difficulty of getting to it, according to an analysis from Oilprice.com that cites Chinese media reports.

Tibetan Plateau, China.

Melanie Stetson Femman | Christian Science Monitor | Getty Images

China's growing economy is highly dependent on the outside world for raw materials, and the country hopes to find and tap possible deposits of crude oil, iron ore, lead and zinc, the Oilprice report said.

The Tibetan Plateau is the world's largest and highest, and a 7-kilometer deep borehole China has dug in the area is "the deepest ever drilled at such a high altitude," Oilprice said.

For the full Oilprice report, click here.