China’s lithium mining faces strict new regulatory era

China has recently shifted from permissive oversight to a much stricter regulatory framework for mining—especially lithium. In 2023, authorities launched a policy to “clean up” productive capacity, removing unlicensed operators and forcing those remaining to comply with tighter standards.

In July 2025, a revised Mineral Resources Law came into force that, for the first time, designates lithium as an independent, strategic mineral, raising entry barriers and tightening control over its exploitation.

Among the most relevant changes, approval authority for mining rights in strategic minerals was centralized in the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), ending the partial autonomy previously held by provincial and prefectural offices—autonomy that, in the past, led to cases such as Yichun, where local officials approved extensions or transfers beyond their jurisdiction.

Read more