The “Notice on Standardizing the Approval and Management of Prospecting and Mining Rights for Rare Earth and Tungsten Mines,” recently issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources, requires that, except in three specific circumstances, the acceptance of new applications for rare earth mine exploration and for the registration of rare earth and tungsten mine mining (including applications to expand mine areas) remain suspended.

　　These three scenarios are as follows: First, for preliminary exploration, general surveys, or necessary detailed surveys of rare earth mineral deposits conducted entirely with funds from the Central Geological Exploration Fund or special provincial fiscal funds, applicants shall submit their applications to the Ministry of Natural Resources based on the issued budget documents. Upon completion of the project, the applicant must register and cancel the prospecting rights after confirming the discovery, and such projects shall be managed in accordance with the national regulations governing state-funded exploration of identified mineral deposits. Second, for rare earth mineral exploration projects established upon application by large-scale rare earth enterprise groups officially designated by the state, provided that such projects are required to ensure a balance between mining and reserves. Third, applications for new mining rights for rare earth and tungsten mines must comply with total mining volume control and capacity balance requirements, and applicants must possess total mining volume control indicators without exceeding these limits. In particular, applicants seeking mining rights for rare earth minerals must hold the status of a large-scale rare earth enterprise group officially designated by the state.

　　The notice clarifies that when applying for the transfer registration of exploration and mining rights for rare earth minerals, the transferee must possess the qualification as a major rare earth enterprise group designated by the state.

　　The notice clarifies that applications for the renewal of mining rights for rare earth and tungsten mines must comply with total extraction volume control requirements.

　　The notice clearly states that for any mining activities involving co-associated resources, the extraction of rare earth minerals and tungsten ores shall be included in the total quota management system. Any over-quota extraction must be reserved and may not be sold. If a company lacks the necessary conditions or sufficient reserve capacity, it shall not be permitted to expand its mining area or increase its production capacity.

　　The notice stipulates that ion-adsorption-type rare earth deposits shall be managed in accordance with the relevant provisions for Category II minerals set forth in the “Notice on Further Standardizing the Management of Mineral Rights Transfer.”

　　The notice emphasizes that if exploration rights for rare earth and tungsten deposits cannot be converted into mining rights due to policy restrictions, after completing a general survey or necessary detailed exploration, the entities concerned shall register the findings and may apply for retention of exploration rights in accordance with applicable regulations.

　　The notice clarifies that for engineering construction projects that involve the recovery and utilization of rare earth resources, management measures shall be formulated. The provincial (or autonomous region) departments of land and resources will continue to organize the recovery, utilization, or stockpiling of these resources, incorporating them into the total extraction control targets and subjecting them to strict management and supervision.

　　This notice takes effect from the date of its issuance and has a validity period. 3 Year. The Ministry of Natural Resources’ Notice on Issuing 2014 The “Notice on the Annual Total Control Indicators for Rare Earth and Tungsten Mining” has been discontinued.