Implementation Regulations for the Mineral Resources Law
June 15, 2026
What it is
Effective June 11, China's State Council passed Mineral Resources Law implementation rules establishing a three-layer reserve system (product, capacity, and site) under which extraction at any deposit or site can be suspended for five years.
Why it matters
Institutionalizes ability to withhold strategic minerals during a crisis; gives further legal form to China's economic pressure toolkit, expanding beyond existing export controls to even more upstream supply.
Implications to Swiss business
Foreign access to China’s critical mineral deposits becomes increasingly more a function of bilateral relations instead of market conditions.