JEAIL > Volume 19(1); 2026 > East Asian Observer
Research Paper
Published online: May 30, 2026
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14330/jeail.2026.19.1.09

Constitutional Resource Sovereignty and Critical Minerals Governance under International Law: The Case of Mongolia

Surakhbayar Galsan
National University of Mongolia
School of Law, United Nations Street-17, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia
Corresponding Author: gsurakhbayar@gmail.com

ⓒ Copyright YIJUN Institute of International Law
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/liceInha University Law School, 100 Inharo, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212 Korea. / nses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract
Critical minerals play a central role in the global energy transition. This article argues that their regulation is significantly shaped by domestic constitutional doctrines alongside geopolitical and industrial considerations. This article emphasizes the role of constitutional sovereignty over natural resources in shaping regulatory autonomy in resource-rich states, by placing the management of critical minerals at the intersection of constitutional law and international natural resource management. This article advances three claims: First, critical minerals constitute a regulatory category determined by global demand and by constitutional constraints embedded within national legal systems. Second, the constitutional framework of Mongolia, particularly Article 6 of the Constitution, uses principles of intergenerational justice, public ownership, and long‑term stewardship to structure the permissible scope of future legislative and regulatory measures. Third, orthodox interpretations of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources (PSNR) do not fully reflect the constitutional dimension of contemporary resource governance.

Keywords : Critical Minerals, Constitutional Sovereignty, Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources

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