On September 19, Xinjiang issued the first batch of real estate certificates for mining rights (exploration rights) across the entire region. This marks the official implementation of the “separation of rights and certificates” system in Xinjiang, just over two months after the newly revised "Mineral Resources Law of the People's Republic of China" came into effect.

　 On that day, at the natural resources window of the Xinjiang Government Service Hall, the Xinjiang Department of Natural Resources collectively issued the first batch of seven real estate certificates for mineral rights (exploration rights) to six mining enterprises in Xinjiang.

　Next, the Xinjiang Department of Natural Resources will issue mineral resource exploration licenses corresponding to this batch of prospecting rights.

“Obtaining the mineral exploration rights and real estate ownership certificate—the ‘red booklet’—gives us genuine property rights, as if we’ve taken a ‘reassuring pill.’ From now on, whether it’s mortgage lending or financing partnerships, everything will be more convenient and more flexible, and we’ll feel much more confident,” said a representative from a mining company.

　For a long time, China’s exploration and mining licenses have featured the characteristic of “one license covering two rights”—that is, both exploration and mining licenses serve as both property certificates and administrative permits.

　　The newly revised “Mineral Resources Law of the People’s Republic of China” will officially come into effect on July 1, 2025. It restructures the management system for mining rights by separating the registration of mining rights as property rights from the licensing of mineral resource exploration and exploitation activities. This marks the end of the historical practice of “one license covering two rights.” At the legal level, it clearly defines the nature of mining rights as usufructuary rights, providing a solid legal basis for the reform aimed at separating rights and certificates.

　　After July 1, 2025, anyone establishing mining rights shall apply to the authority responsible for the transfer of mining rights for registration of such rights. If the applicant meets the registration requirements, the authority responsible for the transfer of mining rights shall record the relevant information in the Mining Rights Registry and issue a Mining Rights Certificate to the mining rights holder. After obtaining mining rights, before commencing exploration or mining operations, the mining rights holder shall prepare an exploration and mining plan, submit it to the original authority responsible for the transfer of mining rights for approval, and obtain both an Exploration License and a Mining License.

　　The head of the Mining Rights Management Division of the Xinjiang Department of Natural Resources said that the issuance of the first batch of real estate certificates for mining rights (exploration rights) marks Xinjiang’s transition from a system where “one certificate covers two rights” to a system of “separation of rights and certificates,” which will help propel the exploration and development of mineral resources across the region into a new phase. Moving forward, we will continue to optimize work processes, enhance the efficiency of mining rights approvals, and provide even better services to mining enterprises.