China's Ministry of Land and Resources has announced plans to cut the number of rare earth mining permits in the country by 40 per cent, Associated Press reports.

According to the news agency, no information was provided on how the cut would affect the amount of rare earths produced, thought the number of permits available would god down from 113 to 67.

The cut has caused concerns amongst global manufacturers of high-tech goods, as China possesses 30 per cent of world rare earth supplies but is responsible for 90 per cent of production.

China's trading partners say taxes and quotas already levied on the minerals gave Chinese buyers an unfair advantage, with the Unites States, the European Union and Japan having launched complaints previously with the World Trade Organisations.

Rare earth are vital for the manufacturing of mobile phones, batteries and other high-tech goods.