Donghai, China

This county has over a million residents, but you wouldn't know it from the sleepy atmosphere. The primary draw is the staggering 300 million tons of quartz and 300,000 tons of rock crystal reserves - the highest in China. However, the bureaucracy can be a persistent headache, with 2 subdistricts, 11 towns, and 8 townships to navigate. And while the county is nicknamed "the county of rock crystal", the climate is an unknown factor. For the patient prospector seeking to capitalize on Donghai's mineral wealth, it may be worth the hassle, but for most expats, the trade-offs outweigh the benefits.