Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and six other authorities have jointly issued the Circular on Further Strengthening the Development of Green Mines (the "Circular"), which takes effect on the date of issuance and remains in effect for five years.
The Circular repositions the development of green mines as a comprehensive endeavor, requiring localities to tailor their measures according to the actual development of the mining industry. Through contract management and targeted measures, it aims to promote the development of green mines in new and production mines in an orderly manner. The Circular specifies that third-party assessment institutions for green mine development must be legally independent entities such as enterprises, public institutions, or industry associations, and they should possess experience and capabilities to conduct green mine development assessments and be capable of conducting assessment work on a stable and long-term basis. Furthermore, the Circular emphasizes the dynamic management of the list of green mines and the revision and improvement of evaluation indicators for national-level green mine development. It also underscores the need for enhanced supervision and appraisal of green mine development.