The reporter learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) that, in order to protect critical strategic resources, the MIIT has formulated the “Normative Conditions for the Tungsten Industry” and the “Normative Conditions for the Tin Industry,” which are currently open for public comment.

Tungsten and tin are both important strategic resources in China. To maintain stable market development and prevent large quantities of these resources from flowing out of the domestic market at low prices, the export of tungsten and tin products has consistently been subject to high export tariffs.

However, according to relevant WTO regulations, China has abolished export tariffs on products such as steel particulate powder, rare earths, and tungsten effective May 1, 2015.

To prevent disorderly mining that could deplete resources and pollute the environment, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has set stringent requirements regarding the scale and strength of mining enterprises in the “Normative Conditions for the Tungsten Industry” and the “Normative Conditions for the Tin Industry.”

Among these, the “Normative Conditions for the Tungsten Industry” stipulate that when mining tungsten ore resources, one must obtain a mining license and a safety production license in accordance with the law, and comply with laws and regulations on mineral resources, safety production, mineral resource planning, and relevant policies. Mining right holders shall carry out mine construction and development in accordance with the approved mineral resource exploration and utilization plan, green mine construction standards, preliminary mining designs, and safety facility designs. It is strictly prohibited to exceed extraction quotas, engage in unlicensed mining, or conduct indiscriminate and reckless mining activities. The scale of mine construction must not be less than 60,000 tons per year, and the service life of the mine should be at least five years.

Smelting and processing enterprises shall ensure the supply of raw materials and must not purchase mineral products, ammonium paratungstate, or other raw materials that have been illegally mined, mined without a plan, or mined beyond the planned quota.

The "Normative Conditions for the Tin Industry" stipulate that, when mining tin ore resources, one must obtain a mining license and a safety production license in accordance with the law, and comply with laws and regulations on mineral resources, safety production, mineral resource planning, and relevant policies. Mining right holders shall carry out mine construction and development in accordance with the approved mineral resource exploration and utilization plan, green mine construction standards, preliminary mining designs, and dedicated safety sections. It is strictly prohibited to engage in unlicensed mining, indiscriminate and excessive mining, or wasteful exploitation of resources. The scale of mine construction must not be less than 60,000 tons of ore per year, and the service life of the mine should exceed 10 years. For projects specifically designed to process secondary tin-containing resources, the annual output of tin-containing products must reach at least 4,000 tons.

The “Conditions” also stipulate that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will implement a public announcement system for tungsten mining, smelting, processing, and recycling enterprises that meet the requirements of this standard.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will verify applicant companies in accordance with established standards and, if necessary, seek opinions from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and other relevant departments before making a public announcement. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will dynamically manage the list of publicly announced companies and encourage all sectors of society to monitor the compliance status of these companies. Companies found to have engaged in non-compliant practices will have their qualifications revoked.

Industry insiders believe that the relevant measures will help outdated production capacity exit the market, while leading enterprises with advanced technology and management capabilities will benefit as a result. 。