China on 22 August issued a 17-point set of interim measures governing the mining, smelting and separation of rare earth elements, tightening state control over a sector in which the country is the dominant global supplier. The rules, released jointly by three government departments, empower regulators to set annual production control targets that take account of resource conservation, market demand and industrial policy goals. Companies must comply with quotas covering the entire supply chain, from ore extraction to processing and separation. Beijing first floated the regulations in a public consultation launched in February. The final measures underscore China’s intention to safeguard strategic mineral reserves that are critical to electric-vehicle batteries, wind turbines and military equipment, and to curb illegal or inefficient production.