Interim Measures for the Total Control and Management of Rare Earth Mining and Separation of Rare Earth Smelting Released.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Natural Resources have issued the "Interim Measures for the Total Control and Management of Rare Earth Mining and Rare Earth Smelting and Separation". The interim measures stipulate that the state implements total control and management of rare earth mining and the smelting and separation of various rare earth ore products obtained through mining, imports, and processing of other minerals. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission, will research and formulate annual total control indicators for rare earth mining and rare earth smelting and separation based on national economic development goals, differences in rare earth reserves and types, development of the rare earth industry, ecological protection, market demand, and other factors, and report them to the State Council for approval. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources, will refine and decompose the total control indicators based on the total control indicators approved by the State Council, taking into account factors such as the production capacity, technological level, environmental protection, and safety level of rare earth production enterprises, and issue them to rare earth mining enterprises and rare earth smelting and separation enterprises, and notify the relevant provincial governments' industrial and information technology and natural resource departments. Rare earth production enterprises must strictly abide by laws, regulations, and relevant national provisions, and engage in rare earth mining and rare earth smelting and separation within the scope of the total control indicators. Rare earth production enterprises will be designated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources. In addition to the enterprises determined in accordance with the preceding paragraph, other organizations and individuals are not allowed to engage in rare earth mining and rare earth smelting and separation. Rare earth production enterprises are responsible for the implementation of their total control indicators.