第一章 总则
Chapter I General Provisions
第一条 为了发展矿业，加强矿产资源的勘查、开发利用和保护工作，保障社会主义现代化建设的当前和长远的需要，根据中华人民共和国宪法，特制定本法。
Article 1 This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, with a view to developing the mining industry, promoting the exploration, development, utilization and protection of mineral resources and ensuring the present and long-term needs of the socialist modernization programme.
第二条 在中华人民共和国领域及管辖海域勘查、开采矿产资源，必须遵守本法。
Article 2 This Law must be observed in exploring and mining mineral resources within the territory of the People's Republic of China and the marine areas under its jurisdiction.
第三条 矿产资源属于国家所有，由国务院行使国家对矿产资源的所有权。地表或者地下的矿产资源的国家所有权，不因其所依附的土地的所有权或者使用权的不同而改变。
国家保障矿产资源的合理开发利用。禁止任何组织或者个人用任何手段侵占或者破坏矿产资源。各级人民政府必须加强矿产资源的保护工作。
勘查、开采矿产资源，必须依法分别申请、经批准取得探矿权、采矿权，并办理登记；但是，已经依法申请取得采矿权的矿山企业在划定的矿区范围内为本企业的生产而进行的勘查除外。国家保护探矿权和采矿权不受侵犯，保障矿区和勘查作业区的生产秩序、工作秩序不受影响和破坏。
从事矿产资源勘查和开采的，必须符合规定的资质条件。
Article 3 Mineral resources belong to the State. The rights of State ownership in mineral resources is exercised by the State Council. State ownership of mineral resources, either near the earth's surface or underground, shall not change with the alteration of ownership or right to the use of the land which the mineral resources are attached to.
The State safeguards the rational development and utilization of mineral resources. Seizing or damaging mineral resources by any means and by any organization or individual shall be prohibited. People's governments at various levels must make serious efforts to protect mineral resources.
Anyone who wishes to explore or mine mineral resources shall separately make an application according to law and shall register after obtaining the right of exploration or mining upon approval, with the exception of the mining enterprises that have, in accordance with law, applied for and obtained the right of mining and are conducting exploration within the designated mining area for the purpose of their own production. The State protects the right of exploration and of mining from encroachment and protects the order of production and other work in the mining and exploration areas from interference and disruption.
Anyone engaged in exploring and mining of mineral resources shall meet the prescribed qualifications.
第四条 国家保障依法设立的矿山企业开采矿产资源的合法权益。
国有矿山企业是开采矿产资源的主体。国家保障国有矿业经济的巩固和发展。
Article 4 The State protects the lawful rights and interests of mining enterprises, established in accordance with law, in mining of mineral resources.
The State-owned mining enterprises are the mainstay in mining mineral resources. The State guarantees the consolidation and expansion of State-owned mining enterprises.
第五条 国家实行探矿权、采矿权有偿取得的制度；但是，国家对探矿权、采矿权有偿取得的费用，可以根据不同情况规定予以减缴、免缴。具体办法和实施步骤由国务院规定。
开采矿产资源，必须按照国家有关规定缴纳资源税和资源补偿费。
Article 5 The State practises a system wherein the exploration right and mining right shall be obtained with compensation; however, the State may, in light of specific conditions, prescribe reduction of or exemption from the compensation for acquiring the exploration right and mining right. Specific measures and implementation procedures shall be formulated by the State Council.
Anyone who mines mineral resources must pay resource tax and resource compensation in accordance with relevant regulations of the State.
第六条 除按下列规定可以转让外，探矿权、采矿权不得转让：
（一）探矿权人有权在划定的勘查作业区内进行规定的勘查作业，有权优先取得勘查作业区内矿产资源的采矿权。探矿权人在完成规定的最低勘查投入后，经依法批准，可以将探矿权转让他人。
（二）已取得采矿权的矿山企业，因企业合并、分立，与他人合资、合作经营，或者因企业资产出售以及有其他变更企业资产产权的情形而需要变更采矿权主体的，经依法批准可以将采矿权转让他人采矿。
前款规定的具体办法和实施步骤由国务院规定。
禁止将探矿权、采矿权倒卖牟利。
Article 6 Exploration right and mining right shall not be transferred except for the transfers made according to the following provisions:
（1）The exploration licensees shall have the right to carry out specified explorations within the designated exploration areas and have the priority to obtain the right to mine the mineral resources in the exploration areas. The exploration licensees, after fulfilling the specified minimum input to exploration and obtaining approval in accordance with law, may transfer the exploration right to another.
（2）A mining enterprise that has obtained the mining right but needs to change the subject of the mining right, because of merger, division, forming of an equity joint venture or contractual joint venture, sale of its assets, or change of ownership of its assets in other manners, may transfer its mining right to another, subject to approval in accordance with law.
The specific measures and implementation procedures concerning the provisions in the preceding paragraph shall be stipulated by the State Council.
Profiteering in exploration right or mining right shall be prohibited.
第七条 国家对矿产资源的勘查、开发实行统一规划、合理布局、综合勘查、合理开采和综合利用的方针。
Article 7 With regard to the exploration and development of mineral resources, the State applies the principles of unified planning, rational geographical distribution, multi-purpose exploration, rational mining and multi-purpose utilization.
第八条 国家鼓励矿产资源勘查、开发的科学技术研究，推广先进技术，提高矿产资源勘查、开发的科学技术水平。
Article 8 The State encourages scientific and technological research on the exploration and development of mineral resources, promotes advanced technology so as to raise the scientific and technological level of mineral exploration and development.
第九条 在勘查、开发、保护矿产资源和进行科学技术研究等方面成绩显著的单位和个人，由各级人民政府给予奖励。
Article 9 Any organization or individual that has achieved outstanding successes in the exploration, development and protection of mineral resources and in scientific and technological research shall be awarded by relevant people's government.
第十条 国家在民族自治地方开采矿产资源，应当照顾民族自治地方的利益，作出有利于民族自治地方经济建设的安排，照顾当地少数民族群众的生产和生活。
民族自治地方的自治机关根据法律规定和国家的统一规划，对可以由本地方开发的矿产资源，优先合理开发利用。
Article 10 In mining mineral resources in national autonomous areas, the State should give consideration to the interests of those areas and make arrangements favourable to the areas economic development and to the production and well-being of the local minority nationalities.
Self-government organs in national autonomous areas shall, in accordance with legal provisions and unified national plans, have the priority to develop and utilize in a rational manner the mineral resources that may be developed by the local authorities.
第十一条 国务院地质矿产主管部门主管全国矿产资源勘查、开采的监督管理工作。国务院有关主管部门协助国务院地质矿产主管部门进行矿产资源勘查、开采的监督管理工作。
省、自治区、直辖市人民政府地质矿产主管部门主管本行政区域内矿产资源勘查、开采的监督管理工作。省、自治区、直辖市人民政府有关主管部门协助同级地质矿产主管部门进行矿产资源勘查、开采的监督管理工作。
Article 11 The department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the State Council shall be responsible for supervision and administration of the exploration and mining of the mineral resources throughout the country. Other relevant competent departments under the State Council shall assist the department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the State Council in supervising and administering the exploration and mining of the mineral resources.
The departments in charge of geology and mineral resources under the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be in charge of supervision and administration of the exploration and mining of the mineral resources within their respective administrative areas. Other relevant departments under the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall assist the departments in charge of geology and mineral resources at the corresponding levels in supervising and administering the exploration and mining of the mineral resources.