Shanxi Province Reopens Coal Mines after Improvement

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 01, 2003

Shanxi Province Reopens Coal Mines after Improvement

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North China's Shanxi province, China's largest coal producer, has recently authorized 3,771 township coal mines to restart production after improvement, according to sources with the provincial coal administration.

Due to poor safety equipment and ineffective administration, five gas explosions in Shanxi killed 99 miners in November 2001. All township mines in the province were then ordered to stop production and install more safety equipment, including gas detectors and double-circled electricity systems at a cost of about one billion yuan (121.2 million US dollars).

Some illegal mines have been closed or destroyed, and dozens of mine owners have been arrested for violation of the ban.

According to official statistics, the number of township coal mines in Shanxi province was 4,685 when the ban was put in place, 3,771 of which met the new standards and have been authorized to restart production by the end of 2002.

By the end of 2005, the number of township mines should be further cut down to about 3,000 and all mines with capacity of less 60,000 tons should be closed, according to the provincial plan.

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