In order to play a warning and educational role, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the State Forestry and Grassland Administration have decided to report five typical illegal and irregular issues:

• The government of Shuocheng District, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, has inadequate supervision and lax enforcement of the illegal land occupation issue by Kaijie Coal Sales Co., Ltd.

Since September 2017, Shuozhou Kaijie Coal Sales Co., Ltd. has leased 910 acres of land to build Yangjian Coal Logistics Trading Center, but has not completed the land use approval procedures. As of May 2026, 687.68 acres (211.80 acres of arable land) have been constructed. Between March 2019 and May 2022, the company was investigated and punished 21 times by the natural resources department, not only failing to rectify in accordance with laws and regulations but also expanding the illegal land occupation area year by year.

• The government of Linkou County, Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province illegally approved the disposal of mineral products, and Linkou County Juneng New Energy Co., Ltd. illegally mined under the pretext of ecological restoration.

In March 2025, the Linkou County government approved the disposal of remaining mineral products in violation of relevant policies on ecological restoration of historical legacy mines, without losing the original mining rights holder. The County Natural Resources Bureau acquiesced Juneng New Energy Co., Ltd. to illegally mine sand and gravel in the name of ecological restoration without actually producing residual mineral products, involving 246000 cubic meters of illegal mining output, valued at 10.6849 million yuan.

• Mianjiang Yingkuang Co., Ltd. in Ruijin City, Jiangxi Province illegally mined 12600 tons of fluorite ore, but the relevant departments failed to supervise effectively.

Since May 2021, Ruijin Mianjiang Fluorite Mine Co., Ltd. has exceeded the mining rights of Mianjiang Fluorite Mine by excavating 164.49 meters of tunnels underground, illegally mining 12600 tons of fluorite mine, which was not discovered by relevant departments in a timely manner.

• The government of Yuncheng District, Yunfu City, Guangdong Province, illegally approved the mining of 13.1323 million cubic meters of cement limestone under the pretext of site leveling construction for a scrap steel processing project.

From August 2023 to April 2024, the Yuncheng District Government of Yunfu City illegally disposed of cement limestone mineral resources as earthworks on the public resource trading platform under the pretext of site leveling construction for scrap steel processing projects, evading mining rights and approving the mining of 13.1323 million cubic meters of cement limestone. As of June 2026, during on-site inspections, 1.2077 million cubic meters had been mined, causing ecological damage and safety hazards. In addition, there are also issues with improper site selection, such as violating the principle that scrap steel processing projects should be located in industrial parks, placing projects outside of industrial parks, and in areas prone to geological disasters.

• The illegal occupation of 164.79 acres of forest land for photovoltaic construction by Huaneng (Yongzhou) New Energy Co., Ltd. in Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province has been poorly regulated by the government and relevant departments of Lengshuitan District.

Since July 2024, Huaneng (Yongzhou) New Energy Co., Ltd. has illegally occupied 164.79 acres of forest land in Lengshuitan District, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province to construct photovoltaics without obtaining an administrative permit for the use of forest land. Since 2024, the ecological and environmental protection inspection and special inspection of the forest chief system in Hunan Province have pointed out such problems and required them to be investigated and rectified. However, during the rectification period, related problems continue to occur.

Four typical illegal and irregular issues reported in the first quarter have been rectified, investigated and held accountable. Other issues have been rectified on site, and relevant problem clues have been handed over to the disciplinary inspection and supervision department. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the State Forestry and Grassland Administration will increase their tracking efforts on the rectification of problems and timely disclose the rectification results to the society.