Chenzhou City is the southern gateway of Hunan and a well-known "home of non-ferrous metals".

　　Chenzhou has more than 70 kinds of mineral resources. Its reserves of tungsten, bismuth and molybdenum rank first in China; its tin and zinc reserves rank third and fourth in the country; its micro-crystal graphite accounts for more than 70% of the world's total reserves; its coal reserve is estimated at 1.1 billion tons; it is the major supplier of energy to Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao; its hydraulic energy reserve is estimated at 1.7 million kilowatts, having been recognized as a small hydraulic power producing center by the United Nations; and it has a forest coverage of 62%, making it a major timber source for Hunan.

　　Chenzhou also has abundant tourism resources. The scenic attractions include one of the 18 retreats of Taoist immortal at Mount Suxian, Dongjiang Lake, a unique cave at Wanhua Rock, the National Geological Park at Mount Feitian, southern China's only international hunting ground at Mount Wugai and the National Forest Park at Mount Mang-shan.

　　The city also has a volleyball training camp where the Chinese national women's volleyball team had many intensive training sessions under its former coach (now sports minister) Yuan Weimin when it captured five successive world titles at the World Cup, the World Championships and the Olympic Games in the early and mid-1980s.