LAUSR

Abstract Existing research on the design and evolution of circular economy (CE) policy in mining industry, especially in emerging countries, is inadequate. The study, taking China as an example, builds a three-dimensional analytical framework consisting of “Policy Objectives” (Y), “Policy Instruments” (X), and “Policy Phases” (Z), and analyzes the policy texts of the Comprehensive Mineral Resources Plans of 19 Chinese provinces (57 texts from 2000 to 2020 in total) which are presented here for the first time as the object of cross-phase content analysis. It is found that the primary objective of China's provincial mining CE policy has undergone a transformation process from “reduce” to “recycle”. Although the motivational instruments show signs of increasing continuously, the compulsory instruments have always occupied an absolute dominant position; meantime, the lag of competency constructive and organizational instruments may become the bottleneck of CE policy in China's mining industry. We propose that the policy objectives setting can expand to the triple dimension of "economy-environment-employment" benefits; the policy instruments selection should be based on structured cognition and feedback mechanisms, identify the effects of different policy instruments' combinations, and make dynamic adjustments accordingly; in addition, the selection of organizational policy instruments in emerging countries deserve more attention. The study provides new policy experiences to understand the policy-driven model of CE development in mining industry, including the policy changes of mining CE, and the correlations between policy objectives and policy instruments, which are conducive to the replication of CE policy experience in mining industry and further comparative study between emerging and developed countries.