New rules for mineral rights renewal: Exploration rights can last up to 20 years, but 90% of bosses don’t know this time

1. Major changes in new regulations

The "Regulations on the Implementation of the Mineral Resources Law" that came into effect on June 15, 2026, made major adjustments to the mining rights renewal system:

Exploration rights: Renewable 3 times in 5 years, up to20 yearsmining rights: When the validity period expires, you can apply for renewal, up to30 yearsOil, natural gas and strategic minerals: The number of renewals can be increased

This is a substantial positive policy. However, the author found in practice thatMost mine owners are unaware that renewal applications have strict time window requirements.

2. Time window for renewal application (key!)

New regulations are clear: The holder of the mining right shallFirst 6 months to 3 monthsApply internally to the registration authority for renewal of registration.

What does this mean?

• If your prospecting/mining rights expire on December 31, 2026
• You must submit your renewal application between June 1 and September 30, 2026
• Applying more than 6 months in advance? Sorry, not accepted
• Haven't applied for more than 3 months? It is deemed to be abandoned and the mineral rights will be automatically invalidated.

Missing the time window = invalidation of mineral rights = years of exploration investment wasted

3. Five common reasons why renewal applications are rejected

1. Exploration investment is not up to standard

The renewal of exploration rights requires the submission of a report on the completion of exploration investment. If the investment is below the legal minimum, the renewal application may be rejected.

2. Exploration area exceeds scope

The renewal of exploration rights requires a proportional reduction of the exploration area:

• 25% discount for first renewal
• The reduction ratio increases for multiple renewals

If the actual scope of exploration exceeds the approved scope of the license, the renewal application will be rejected.

3. Illegal exploration operations

Major safety accidents and environmental pollution incidents occurring during the exploration process may affect the renewal approval.

4. Incomplete application materials

Materials required for renewal application include: renewal application, mining rights evaluation report (if necessary), exploration implementation plan, geological data submission voucher, etc. If the materials are incomplete, you will be asked to make corrections, which will delay the application process.

5. There are rights disputes

If the mineral rights are subject to seizure, mortgage, ownership disputes, etc., review of renewal applications may be suspended.

4. Lawyer’s point of view: Five key points in renewal operations

1. Establish a reminder mechanism for the expiration of mining rights certificates

The author recommends that companies establishMining rights certificate ledger, start preparing renewal materials 8-10 months before expiration to ensure sufficient time for corrections.

2. Comprehensive self-examination before renewal

Six months before renewal, enterprises should check on their own:

• Is the exploration investment up to standard?
• Whether the actual operating scope exceeds the scope?
• Are there any outstanding safety incidents or environmental penalties?
• Is the price paid in full?

3. The reduction of exploration area must be planned in advance

The renewal of exploration rights will inevitably face the issue of area reduction. Enterprises should plan the exploration area in advance and keep the core mineralization zone within the renewal scope.

4. Application materials should be checked by professionals

The quality of the renewal application, exploration implementation plan and other materials directly affects the approval results. It is recommended to hire an experienced lawyer or geological engineer to assist in preparation.

5. Failure to reply within the time limit shall be deemed as agreement.

A highlight of the new regulations:If the registration authority fails to make a decision within the time limit, the extension will be deemed to be approved.. But the premise of this rule is that the application materials are complete and compliant. Enterprises must not be paralyzed by this and should still actively follow up on the approval progress.

5. Typical jurisprudence

[Case] A case where the exploration rights of a certain province have expired and failed to apply for renewal

Facts of the case: The exploration rights of a mining company expired on June 30, 2024. Due to internal management problems, the company did not submit its renewal application until September 2024. The registration authority refused to accept the application on the grounds of "overdue application".

result: The exploration license was cancelled, and the company’s initial exploration investment of tens of millions of yuan was irreversible.

Lesson: The mining rights certificate expiration reminder mechanism is not optional, but required.

6. Enlightenment from private enterprises

Time node response actions--------------------Start renewal preparations 8-10 months before expiration, establish a ledger, submit renewal application 6 months before expiration (earliest application time), ensure the application has been accepted (latest application time), 3 months before expiration, follow up on the approval progress, prepare supplementary materials, and fail to respond after the due date, invoke the "deemed consent" rule, and claim for mineral rights extension