Vietnam bans raw rare-earth export in new mineral law

Passed by the National Assembly on Dec. 11, the revised legislation classifies rare earths as a "special strategic" mineral.

All geological surveys, exploration, mining and processing must align with the national rare-earth strategy and can only be carried out by state-designated or state-approved companies. The government will also centralize geological data, regulate imports and exports according to national needs and build up strategic stockpiles.

The law pushes Vietnam toward deep processing rather than raw extraction, with a requirement to develop a modern industrial ecosystem capable of producing higher-value materials for sectors such as electric-vehicle batteries, solar panels, advanced alloys, drones, military robotics and semiconductors. With global demand for rare earths expected to surge over the next decade, the government argues the mineral has clear implications for national defense, security and diplomacy, necessitating tight oversight.

The legislation also encourages international cooperation in high-tech exploration and processing and prioritizes training skilled workers for the industry. Rare-earth reserve areas, zones identified through geological surveys but not yet mined, will be strictly protected.

Beyond rare earths, the amended law streamlines procedures for converting certain types of land for mining construction materials used in public-investment, PPP and other key national projects. These rules apply only to planted production forests and non-agricultural land, excluding defense and security areas.

The law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026.