China issues new rules on registration of mineral resource

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 17, 2004

China issues new rules on registration of mineral resource

The Ministry of Land and Resources Monday issued a set of new regulations on the registration of mineral resource developers, aiming to collect accurate data to better land and resources management. All entities engaged in the exploration and mining of mineral resources in China have to register and report what they have explored or mined.

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From the start of next month, mining companies will have to present the Ministry of Land and Resources detailed information such as proven resources in an area and targeted exploitation volume, before being given the all clear to start mining.

In addition, mining companies will then be obliged to report their annual yields to the ministry, so reserves can be better gauged.

"We expect these measures to help us keep a close eye on the changes of the country's mineral resources," Shao Juenian, director of the Department of Mineral Reserves under the ministry, said Monday.

The ministry -- China's mineral resource watchdog -- announced the move Monday in conjunction with a new set of measures, which replaces those introduced in 1995.

In view of the importance of mineral resources, the State Council announced the country's first white paper on mineral resources last year. The new measures are to better keep tabs on the country's mineral reserves, allowing the government to make informed policy decisions, Shao said.

While applications for mineral exploitation will no longer be accepted by the ministry, the new measures, for the first time, vow to punish those in charge who fail to report annual yields.

"Without accurate information, the government is blind and deaf in pulling the threads of supervision and in trying to fulfill the sustainable development of the mineral sector," said Zeng Shaojin, director of the Department of Mineral Exploitation Management.

Cited as an example is the "surprising sustainability" of the famous Gejiu tin mine in East China's Jiangxi Province. After half a century of exploitation, the mine still enjoys profits.

"The secrete behind (its continued success) is the discovery of new tin in the proximity of the old mining area," Zeng said.

"But if we don't have accurate annual reports, we might not know about new finds, which could lead to the mistaken belief that we are running out of reserves."

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