Baiyin () is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Gansu province, People's Republic of China. Established in the 1950s as a base for mining non-ferrous metals, its mines are becoming exhausted in recent decades, requiring the city to reinvent its economy. Located around from Gansu's capital Lanzhou, it is part of the Lanzhou-Baiyin Economic Belt.
Baiyin is part loess plateau, part desert. Elevation ranges from above sea-level. The prefecture-level city has either a cool arid climate (Köppen BWk) or a cool semi-arid climate (BSk) is very arid with only of annual precipitation. Annual evaporation is resulting in a net loss of approximately . The Yellow River flows from south to north for through Baiyin.
The area is , of that urban.
Baiyin has 2 urban districts, 3 counties, 64 townships, 18 towns, and 7 sub-districts with a total population of 1,512,110 as of the 2020 Chinese census, of which 538,514 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of the 2 urban districts of Baiyin and Pingchuan.
The Baiyin Nonferrous operates copper, zinc and selenium mines around Baiyin, although these mines are getting exhausted of ore. Financed by development funds, a high-tech park is being built, which is home to a contact lens factory. Pingchuan District and Huining County are the largest coal production bases in Gansu province.
The Yinguang Group, a subsidiary of Norinco, operates a major factory making chemicals for defense and civilian use, the factory was a key project of the first five-year plan.
Baiyin is directly served by the BaotouâÂÂLanzhou railway, Honghui railway, China National Highway 109, China National Highway 341 and G6 BeijingâÂÂLhasa Expressway.
Baiyinnan (ç½é¶åÂÂç«Â) Railway Station will be put into operation on December 29, 2022.
According to the Seventh National Census in 2020, the city's Permanent Population (hukou) was 1,512,110. In the population, 50.98% were males and 49.02% were females. In the age structure, 18.9% were from 0 to 14 years old, 62.07% were from 15 to 59 years old, 19.03% were over 60 years old, and 13.96% were over 65 years old.