State Government
The Security Committee of the State Council issued its ‘Notice to Shut Down Unsafe Non-Coal Mines.’ The Notice stipulates that local governments are to shut down non-coal mines which have unsafe operating conditions according to law, with an aim to prevent major safety risks.
In 2019, China is targeting a shut down in excess of 1,000 unsafe non-coal mines, which comprises 5 categories:
- Mines under suspension due to major safety risks but that have failed to accomplish rectification within the required time or failed to reach safe operation standards after rectification.
- Mines in violation of safety regulations, but which refuse to comply with safety rules and fail to complete relevant procedures within the required time.
- Mines (metal mines or non-metal mines) with coal as the associated product that fail to meet the national standard of coal mine operation.
- Adjacent mines with a minimum distance between each other of less than 300 meters.
- Tailings dams that have reached the upper limit of their designed capacity and are no longer in operation.
