China to rectify mineral development order again

China has recently decided to launch a campaign nationwide from March to May to rectify and normalize the mineral development order again.

Jointly launched by nine ministries and commissions including the Ministry of Land and Resources, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, the campaign will focus on checking illegal activities in five aspects:

1) prospecting and mining without license or with expired license;

2) mining across the prescribed layer and border;

3) illegal transfer of mining right;

4) polluting and destroying mine environment;

5) examining and approving mining right in excess of authority. It is aimed to accelerate integrating the development of mineral resources.

Those provinces, regions and municipalities that fail to pass the examination, will be instructed to reform and consolidate in a stipulated term and they are suspended of examining and approving prospecting and mining right in the reform and consolidation period, according to a circular issued on March 3.