(2001年5月25日四川省第九届人民代表大会常务委员会第二十三次会议通过)

第一条  为了鼓励外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，促进经济发展，根据《中华人民共和国矿产资源法》等法律、法规的规定，结合四川实际，制定本条例。

第二条  外商在四川省行政区域内投资勘查、开采矿产资源的，适用本条例。

第三条  鼓励外商以资金、技术等方式，采取中外合资、中外合作、外商独资或国家允许的其他形式，依法投资勘查、开采矿产资源。

第四条  外商可以依法申请或者通过转让方式取得探矿权和采矿权，也可以依法将取得的探矿权、采矿权转让、出租或者抵押。

外商依法取得的探矿权、采矿权和其他合法权益受法律保护，任何单位和个人不得侵占和损害。

第五条  外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，应依法采取有效措施，合理开采，保护生态环境，防止水土流失和环境污染。

第六条  省人民政府地质矿产行政主管部门主管本行政区域内外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源的监督管理工作，并根据国务院地质矿产主管部门的授权，负责外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源的审批登记颁证工作。

省人民政府有关部门协助同级地质矿产行政主管部门对外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源进行监督管理。

市、州、县(市、区)人民政府地质矿产行政主管部门负责本行政区域内外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源的监督管理工作。

第七条  省人民政府根据矿产资源勘查、开采的实际，可在矿产资源富集区域设立矿业开发区，并依法制定矿业开发区的特殊政策。

第八条  在工商行政管理机关登记注册的法人或者非法人外商投资企业、外商办事机构和代表处均可作为探矿权申请人，依照国务院《矿产资源勘查区块登记管理办法》的规定，向省人民政府地质矿产行政主管部门申请勘查登记。省人民政府地质矿产行政主管部门应按照申请在先的原则，自收到申请之日起20日内，作出准予登记或者不予登记的决定，并告知探矿权申请人。准予登记的，应通知申请人在30日内办理勘查登记手续，领取勘查许可证。不予登记的，登记管理机关应当向探矿权申请人说明理由。

第九条  外商与已取得探矿权的中方单位合作勘查矿产资源的，中方合作单位在签订合同前，应将合作勘查的区块、矿种等有关文件资料报原发证机关复核并签署意见；签订合同后，应将签订的合同报原发证机关备案。

第十条  外商投资进行地质调查时，对调查区域内新发现的未设置探矿权、采矿权的矿产地或者重要找矿线索区块，可以申请预留探矿权；预留期间，他人申请探矿权的，省地质矿产行政主管部门应书面告知外商。外商在规定的期限内未申请探矿权的，省地质矿产行政主管部门可受理他人的申请，具体办法由省地质矿产行政主管部门制定。

第十一条  外商对登记的勘查作业区内探明的矿产资源，在探矿权许可证有效期和保留期限内未放弃采矿权申请的，省地质矿产行政主管部门不得受理他人的采矿权申请。

第十二条  外商开采矿产资源，应持合资、合作协议书或者投资意向书及有关申请资料，向省地质矿产行政主管部门申请划定矿区范围。

省地质矿产行政主管部门应自收到有关申请资料之日起30日内完成划定矿区范围的审查工作。

外商凭划定的矿区范围及其他有关资料，依法申请设立外商投资矿山企业。

第十三条  外商投资矿山企业持工商登记等有关资料，向省地质矿产行政主管部门申请办理采矿登记。省地质矿产行政主管部门应自收到申请之日起20日内，作出准予登记或者不予登记的决定，并告知采矿权申请人。准予登记的，应通知申请人在30日内办理采矿登记手续，领取采矿许可证。不予登记的，登记管理机关应当向采矿权申请人说明理由。

第十四条  省地质矿产行政主管部门向外商颁发勘查许可证或者采矿许可证后，应按规定报国务院地质矿产行政主管部门备案，并通知矿产所在地的市、州、县(市、区)人民政府地质矿产行政主管部门。

第十五条  外商投资勘查开采矿产资源，按照有关规定享受以下优惠政策：

(一) 勘查开采矿产资源的探矿权、采矿权使用费，第一年免缴，第二、第三年减半缴纳；在少数民族自治地区，前两年免缴，第三年至第五年减半缴纳。

(二) 开采《外商投资产业指导目录》中鼓励类矿产资源的，免缴五年矿产资源补偿费；综合开采共伴生矿产资源的，开采的共伴生矿产品减半缴纳矿产资源补偿费；利用尾矿的，免缴矿产资源补偿费。

(三) 采用先进技术使国内现有技术难以开发利用的矿产资源得到综合利用的和使开采回采率、选矿回收率、综合利用率高于国内同类企业水平的，前三年减半缴纳矿产资源补偿费；高于国内同类企业水平多采出的矿产品，免缴矿产资源补偿费。

(四) 外商投资矿山企业，因不可抗力引起年度亏损，可申请减缴50％以下的矿产资源补偿费或延期缴纳亏损年度的矿产资源补偿费。

(五) 在划定的勘查区域内，探明可供开采的矿产资源的地质勘查费用，可作为递延资产从矿山进入商业性开采后的第一年起，在开采阶段分期摊销。

(六) 自矿山进入商业性开采阶段，经企业申请，税务机关批准，可实施固定资产加速折旧。

(七) 勘查矿产资源所需临时用地，免缴场地使用费。

(八) 国家另有规定的，从其规定。

第十六条  外商投资开采矿产资源所得的矿产品，有权自主决定其销售和加工，国家另有规定的除外。

第十七条  外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，除国家和省政府规定的收费项目和标准外，任何单位和个人不得增加收费项目或者提高收费标准。

第十八条  外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，对土地造成破坏的，应依法进行复垦；对土地上的附着物、建筑物、构筑物和农作物、林木造成损坏的，应依法进行补偿。任何单位和个人不得增加补偿项目或者提高补偿费标准。

外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，禁止任何单位和个人强行参股或者不履行投资义务而从中获取利益。

第十九条  外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，对有关收费(补偿)项目和标准有异议的，有权向省地质矿产行政主管部门提出询问。省地质矿产行政主管部门应在5日内答复询问人。

外商对没有合法依据的收费、擅自增加补偿项目、提高补偿标准和强行入股等行为有权拒绝，并向省地质矿产行政主管部门或者其他有权机关举报。省地质矿产行政主管部门和其他有权机关应当查清事实，负责处理，并在30日内将处理结果告知当事人。

第二十条  各级行政执法部门及其行政执法人员对外商投资企业进行执法检查时，应当严格依照法定职责，遵守法定程序。

第二十一条  行政机关及其工作人员违反本条例规定，有下列情形之一的，由有关机关追究主管人员和直接责任人员的行政责任：

(一) 未在规定时间内作出准予登记或者不予登记决定并说明理由的；

(二) 未在规定时间内办理登记手续的；

(三) 在探矿权预留期间未书面告知当事人而受理他人申请的；

(四) 当事人未放弃采矿权申请而受理他人申请的；

(五) 未在规定时间内完成划定矿区范围审查工作的；

(六) 未依法执行有关优惠政策的；

(七) 未依法受理外商举报并将处理结果告知当事人的；

(八) 未严格依照法定程序进行执法检查的。

第二十二条  外商投资勘查、开采矿产资源，违反本条例有关规定的，依照有关法律法规处理

第二十三条  外商与中方合作过程中发生争议的，由当事人协商解决；协商不成的，可以依法申请仲裁或者提起诉讼。

第二十四条  香港、澳门、台湾同胞和华侨在本省行政区域内投资勘查、开采矿产资源的，参照本条例规定办理。

第二十五条  本条例自2001年7月1日起施行。

Provisions of Sichuan Province for the Encouragement of Foreign Investment

in Geologic Exploration and Mining

(Adopted at the Twenty-third Section of Standing Committee of the Ninth Sichuan Provincial People’s Congresson May 25, 2001)

Article 1  The provisions are formulated in accordance with Mineral Resources Law of the People’s Republic of China and other relevant laws and regulations with respect to the actual situation in Sichuan Province for the purpose of encouragement of foreign investment in geologic exploration and development of mineral resources, so as to prompt economic development.

Article 2  The provisions shall apply to foreign investment in exploration and development of mineral resources within Sichuan Provincial Administrative Jurisdiction.

Article 3  Sichuan Provincial Government encourages foreigners to invest in exploration and mining in various forms, such as Chinese-foreign joint venture, Chinese-foreign co-operation, single-venture, etc. and by ways, such as capital or technology, etc.

Article 4  Foreign investors may get exploration rights and mining rights be way of application or transfer and also may transfer, let, and mortgage their exploration rights and mining rights in compliance with the law.

The government shall protect foreign investor’ exploration rights, mining rights, and other legal rights by the law, and any units and individuals must not encroach or damage the legal rights.

Article 5  Foreign investors, in exploration or mining, must take effective measures to develop mineral resources rationally, protect ecological environment, and prevent the loss of water and soil and environmental pollution.

Article 6  The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall be responsible for supervision and administration of the foreign-funded exploration and mining within the Sichuan Administrative Region and shall be responsible for examination, approval, and registration of foreign-funded exploration or mining and issue of the licenses under the authorization by the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the State Council.

Other relevant competent departments under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall assist the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government in supervision and administration of foreign-funded exploration and mining.

The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the people’s government of a municipality, prefecture, or county (municipality, district) shall be responsible for supervision and administration of foreign-funded exploration and mining within their respective administrative regions.

Article 7 According to the actual situation of exploration and mining, the Provincial Government may establish mining development zones within mineral resources concentration bands and make special policies for the zones.

Article 8  A corporate person registered in the Office of Administration for Industry and Commerce, a foreign investment enterprise without Chinese corporate identity, a foreign investment agency, or a representative office is qualified as exploration right applicant and may apply for exploration right registration to the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government in accordance with Regulations for Registering to Explore for Mineral Resources Using the Block System by State Council. The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government, following the principle of first-come-first-served, shall make decision of approval or disapproval and inform the applicant within 20 days after the application is submitted. If approval is granted, the applicant shall be informed to finish exploration registration formalities within 30 days and draw exploration license. If approval is not granted, the registration office shall give the applicant a proper reason.

Article 9  When a foreign investor is to cooperate with a Chinese unit who has already obtained exploration license to explore mineral resources, the Chinese unit shall have to submit the exploration block, type of mineral resource, and other materials and documents to the license-issuing office for checkup and official opinion before the contract is signed and submit the contract to the license-issuing office for filing after the contract has been signed.

Article 10  A foreign investor, who is engaged in geological survey, may apply for reserved exploration right for newly discovered mineral resources or blocks where significant clues of the existence of mineral resources have been found within the survey region except that the exploration right or mining right of the mineral resources or blocks has been issued to other person. During the tenure of reserved exploration right, if other exploration right or mining right applications for the same mineral resources or areas is submitted, the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall inform the owner of reserved exploration right in written form. If the owner of reserved exploration right fails to submit the exploration right applications within given period, the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall accept other applications. The measures for operation in detail will be formulated elsewhere by the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government.

Article 11  The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government can not accept the applications for the mining rights of the mineral resources in a foreign investor’s exploration area during the tenure of exploration right or reserved exploration right except the right is renounced by its’ owner.

Article 12  Foreign investors, who are to develop mineral resources, shall have to apply for mining location and extent to the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government with submission of materials such as agreements of join-ventures or Chinese-foreign co-operation, letter of intent for investment, etc.

The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall have to fix the mining location and boundary within 30 days after accepting application materials.

With materials of mining boundary, etc. as basis, foreign investors may apply for establishing foreign-funded mining enterprise in accordance with relevant laws.

Article 13  When applying for mining registration to the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government, a foreign investor shall have to provide materials about registration for industry and commerce.

The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall make decision of approval or disapproval and inform the applicant within 20 days after the application is submitted. If approval is granted, the applicant shall be informed to finish mining registration formalities within 30 days and draw mining license. Otherwise, the registration office shall give the applicant a proper reason.

Article 14  After having granted exploration license or mining license to foreign investors, the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall have to submit the materials to the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under State Council for filing and inform the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the people’s government of a municipality, prefecture, or county (municipality, district) whose jurisdiction the mineral resources belongs to.

Article 15   Foreign investors engaged in exploration or mining enjoy following favorable policies in accordance with relevant regulations:

(1)  The exploration right or mining right fees shall be reduced by whole for the first year, by half for next two years and, in minority’s prefectures, by whole for the first two years and by half for the next two years.

(2)  If the mineral resources mined by foreign investors are among those types encouraged by the government to develop, which is listed in Foreign Investment Industry Guide Catalogue, the mineral resources compensation fees will be reduced for five years. If the mineral resources are developed with comprehensive utilization of paragenetic or associated mineral resources, the compensation fees for the paragenetic mineral resources products or associated mineral resources products will be reduced by half. The compensation fees for products retrieved from the tailings will be reduced by whole.

(3) If advanced technologies are adopted to develop those mineral resources difficult to utilize with the technologies currently adopted home in a comprehensive way and make the mining recovery rate, ore-dressing recovery rate, and comprehensive utilization rate higher than average level of the domestic enterprises of the same kind, the mineral resources compensation fees will be reduced by half for the first three years. The mineral resources compensation fees for excess of products over the average level of the domestic enterprises will be reduced wholly.

(4) If having suffered annual deficit caused by irresistible forces, foreign-funded mining enterprises may apply for reduction of mineral resources compensation fees by up to 50% of the year or postponement of paying the mineral resources compensation fees of the year.

(5)  Within the prescribed exploration areas, the geological exploration expense of proven economic mineral resources reserves can be amortized as deferred assets during the mining period beginning from the first year of commercial mining.

(6)  During commercial mining, if foreign-funded mining enterprises have applied and the taxation office has approved, accelerated depreciation of fixed asset can be applied.

(7) Free temporary working places for exploration can be provided.

(8) Where laws, administrative rules, or regulations provide otherwise, such provisions shall prevail.

Article 16  Foreign investors have rights to decide the processing and sale of their mineral resources products except those especially prescribed by the government.

Article 17  Neither unit nor individual is allowed to add any fee-charging items other than the central government or the provincial government has stipulated and increase the fee-charging standard the central government or the provincial government has prescribed.

Article 18  Foreign investors must reclaim the land damaged in exploration or mining in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and make compensation for the damage to the buildings, constructions, crops, woods, and other attachments on the land. Neither unit nor individual is allowed to add any compensation items other than the central government or the provincial government has stipulated and increases the compensation standard the central government or the provincial government has prescribed.

Neither unit nor individual is allowed to profit from foreign-founded exploration or mining by taking share by force or without performing investment duties.

Article 19  Foreign investors, who are engaged in exploration and mining, have right to inquire the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources about fee-charging (compensation) items or standards which they have doubt about. The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government shall have to reply within 5 days.

Foreign investors have rights to refuse illegal fee-charging items, fee-charging standard, and taking share by force and prosecute to the administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government and other authority department. The administrative department in charge of geology and mineral resources under the Sichuan Provincial Government and other authority department have obligation to find out the facts, deal with the affair, and inform the foreign investors of the result of the dealing within 30 days.

Article 20  Law-enforcing departments at all level and their law-enforcing functionaries must observe legal procedures and perform their duties strictly when examining and inspecting foreign-funded enterprises.

Article 21  When administrative departments and their functionaries have violated the provisions, the persons directly responsible and their superiors shall be investigated for administrative responsibility if in the following cases:

(1) The decision of approval of registration has not been made or the reason for approval or disapproval of registration has not been given within the prescribed time.

(2) Registration formalities have not been finished within the prescribed time.

(3) Administrative departments and their functionaries have accepted applications without informing the owner of reserved mining right in written form during the tenure of reserved mining right.

(4) Administrative departments and their functionaries have accepted applications when the owner of exploration rights has not renounced the rights.

(5) Administrative departments and their functionaries have not finished the examination of exploration or mining boundary within prescribed time.

(6) Administrative departments and their functionaries have not granted the favor policy to the foreign investors in accordance with the law.

(7) Administrative departments and their functionaries have not accepted foreign investors’ prosecutions or have not informed the prosecutors of the dealing result in accordance with the law.

(8) Administrative departments and their functionaries have not performed the law-enforcing inspection strictly in accordance with the legal procedure.

Article 22  Foreign investors who violate the provisions in exploration or mining shall be dealt with in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Article 23  When dissent arising in Chinese-foreign co-operation, the two parties involved may solve the dissent by consultation. If the dissent could not be solved by consultation, the two parties involved may appeal to arbitration or lawsuit.

Article 24  Overseas Chinese and Compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, who invests in exploration and mining within Sichuan Provincial Administrative Jurisdiction, shall be treated in accordance with the provisions.

Article 25  The provisions shall come into effect on July 1, 2001.