Notice of the Ministry of Land and Resources on the Target of Total Quantity Control of Tungsten, Antimony and Rare Earth Mining in 2010

　　Land and Capital Development [2010] 30

　　In order to protect and rationally utilize China's superior mineral resources, according to the stipulations of planned mining for specific mineral species of protective mining, according to the mineral resources planning and the relevant requirements of the Provisional Regulations on Exploration and Mining Management for Specific Mineral Species of Protective Mining (No. 165 of Land and Resources Development [2009]), the reserve of resources, the existing exploration rights, the setting of mining rights and the market demand are comprehensively studied. The Ministry has decided to continue to control the total amount of tungsten, antimony and rare earth mines, and to suspend the processing of new applications for prospecting and mining registration of tungsten, antimony and rare earth ores in principle until 30 June 2011. The relevant matters are hereby notified as follows.

　　1. In 2010, the total amount of tungsten concentrate (65% of tungsten trioxide) in China was 80,000 tons, of which 66,480 tons were the main mining index and 13,520 tons were the comprehensive utilization index. The total control index of antimony ore (metal quantity) mining is 100,000 tons, of which 69,520 tons are lower than that of provinces (regions); the comprehensive utilization of 30480 tons is not up to provinces (regions). The total control index of rare earth ore (REO) mining is 89200 tons, of which 77 000 tons are light rare earth and 12 200 tons are heavy rare earth.

　　2. Departments of land and resources administration of provinces (districts and municipalities) shall conscientiously decompose and distribute the indicators according to the total amount control indicators of tungsten, antimony and rare earth mining issued by the Ministry and the reserves and resources development and utilization of mining enterprises in their respective areas. To achieve the control indicators to the city, county, mining enterprises, graded responsibility, layers of implementation, and by the end of April 2010, the indicators will be decomposed and implemented by the Ministry of Reporting.

　　3. The administrative departments of land and resources of provinces (districts and municipalities) shall take effective measures to sign the responsibility and contract documents for the total amount control of mining in accordance with the requirements of the Interim Provisions for the Exploration and Mining Management of Specific Mineral Species for Protective Mining, to implement the supervision and control of the implementation of the control indicators of mining enterprises by special personnel, and to strictly implement the statistical reporting system of land and resources.

　　4. Until 30 June 2011, new applications for prospecting and mining of tungsten, antimony and rare earth ores shall be suspended except in the following circumstances.

　　(1) The key projects approved by the State Council and the census and necessary detailed investigation projects carried out with the Central Geological Exploration Fund or the provincial financial special funds. Projects for tungsten, antimony and rare earth mineral exploration carried out nationwide with central geological exploration funds or provincial financial special funds have been incorporated into provincial mineral resources planning and approved by the Ministry, and the Ministry shall apply for the establishment of exploration rights according to the plan on the basis of budgetary documents issued; if there is no explicit arrangement in provincial mineral resources planning, the relevant provincial departments shall prepare special exploration plans and annual plans for the establishment of exploration rights. After approval by the Ministry, the application for exploration registration shall be submitted to the Ministry on the basis of the budget documents issued. The use of the Central Geological Exploration Fund or provincial financial special funds shall not be combined with the enterprise funds. After the exploration is completed, the Ministry shall, in accordance with the market demand, systematically and openly compete with the society for the transfer of exploration rights.

　　(2) The existing mining rights and prospecting rights need to be integrated in the integrated mining areas determined according to the implementation plan of provincial mineral resources development and integration.

　　(3) Existing mining enterprises are unable to produce normally because of the exhaustion of resources within the scope of mining rights, so they apply to expand the adjacent areas of exploration and mining by using the original production system.

　　(4) In accordance with the relevant regional economic support policies of the Central Committee, the Ministry has signed agreements with relevant provincial (district and municipal) people's governments for construction projects that need to be supported.

　　5. The Ministry will strictly examine the quarterly reports on the implementation of the total amount control indicators for tungsten, antimony and rare earth mining in various places, and organize the implementation inspection of the total amount control indicators for tungsten, antimony and rare earth mining. If you encounter any problems in the implementation of the total amount control, please report them to the Ministry in time.

　　March 4, 2002