Vietnam’s Parliament has moved to ban the export of raw rare earth minerals as part of an overhaul of the country’s geology and minerals law, Bloomberg News reported.
Under the amended laws, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, rare earths are designated as a strategic resource, and the government will oversee all survey, mining and processing activities.
Only companies that have already secured government approval will be permitted to exploit, process and use rare earths.
The law encourages international cooperation in research and development of advanced processing technologies to support the development of a domestic rare-earth industry.
The amended law also states that deep processing of rare earths must be linked to the development of the industrial ecosystem to enhance Vietnam’s local value chain and ensure self-reliance in the rare earth sector.
Vietnam holds about 3.5 million tonnes of rare earth reserves, ranking sixth globally, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s March 2025 report.
Rare earths are used in several modern technologies, like smartphones and laptops, to fighter jets and missiles, and are almost exclusively controlled by China.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is working on a national strategy for rare earth minerals, which will be submitted to the government in early 2026.