2017 Year 12 Moon 28 On [date], the State Council issued the “Notice on Designating Tungsten, Tin, Antimony, and Ion-adsorption Rare Earth Minerals as Specified Mineral Types Subject to Protective Mining by the State” (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”), clearly stating that tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earth minerals are highly specialized and critically important mineral resources in China. These mineral types are not only scarce but also represent China’s competitive advantages; their reserves, production volumes, and export quantities rank among the highest in the world. For many years, they have held a pivotal position in the international market and are closely linked to national security and the development of high-tech industries.

　　Tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths are collectively known as China’s four major strategic resources; however, the reserve-to-production ratio for antimony mines is less than... 5 which are even rarer than rare earths. According to statistical data previously released by the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, based on current mining rates, the guaranteed reserves for four strategic resources—rare earths, tungsten, tin, and antimony—are as follows: rare earths... 115 Year, tungsten 12 Year, tin 7 Year and antimony 4.7 Year. Don't be fooled by the fact that China holds the world's largest reserves of antimony—its supply still accounts for the global market. 80% the output and 4.7 With an extremely low reserve-to-production ratio, the years of mineable reserves are also severely limited.

　　In recent years, despite the various targeted rectification campaigns launched by government regulatory authorities against production and business enterprises, problems continue to emerge, and the situation remains grim. In some regions, activities such as mining specific mineral resources—including tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths—without proper permits, as well as indiscriminate and excessive mining, persist despite repeated bans and remain particularly serious. Macro-control measures have proven difficult to implement effectively, and the underlying issue of an irrational development structure for these specific mineral resources has yet to be fundamentally addressed.

　　Against this backdrop, government regulatory authorities and production and business enterprises, in implementing the spirit of the State Council’s “Notice,” must clearly recognize that the order of developing specific mineral resources—such as tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths—is an essential component of the socialist market economic order. Building and maintaining a lawful, orderly, and standardized order for the development of these specific mineral resources is a necessity for economic and social development. However, this cannot be achieved overnight; rather, it requires continuous standardization and improvement in response to changing circumstances.

　　The Notice points out that mining enterprises operating tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare-earth mineral deposits prior to the issuance of this Notice shall undergo rectification and reorganization. Those meeting the conditions for mining operations and holding valid mining permits may continue mining after completing the necessary supplementary approval procedures; those failing to meet the mining conditions shall, depending on their specific circumstances, be required by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government to undergo rectification within a specified time limit or be ordered to cease mining operations altogether.

　　The promulgation of laws stipulating that the state will implement protective mining practices for specific mineral types represents a significant advancement in awareness of mineral resource conservation and marks a major leap forward in the management level of the mining industry. However, the existing legislation is only the initial step in administrative regulation; from the enactment of these laws to their actual implementation—carrying out the arduous task of protective mining for specific minerals such as tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths—there remains much meticulous work to be done.

　　Therefore, in implementing the spirit of the State Council’s “Notice,” governments at all levels are tasked with further intensifying efforts to rectify illegal mining activities involving specific mineral resources such as tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths, and achieving the following four objectives: First, strictly investigate and resolutely crack down on illegal and non-compliant exploration and mining activities conducted without proper permits for these specific minerals—tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths; second, thoroughly clean up and rectify illegal and non-compliant cases, leaving no blind spots, and safeguarding the normal order of resource development; third, comprehensively inspect the implementation of various systems governing the development and management of these specific mineral resources—including tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths—and effectively enforce total extraction control targets; fourth, fully promote the consolidation of resource development for these specific minerals—tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths—establish a long-term regulatory mechanism, and substantially enhance the level of rational and efficient utilization of mineral resources.

　　Industry insiders believe that, given the critical importance and regulatory challenges associated with specific minerals such as tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths, efforts should continue to promote the enactment of specialized administrative regulations. Before drafting these regulations, it is essential to make full use of already issued departmental rules and regulations, ensuring administration in accordance with the law. Additionally, the state can strengthen regulatory measures for these specific minerals—tungsten, tin, antimony, and ion-adsorption rare earths—through nationally formulated laws and regulations.