Eco-friendly mining helps drive environmental cleanup

Ecological civilization

Ecological civilization is a concept promoted by President Xi Jinping that aims to provide balanced, sustainable development and features the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature.

Though China is not able to phase down coal consumption — which accounts for over 90 percent of its fossil fuel reserves — in the short term, mining is being conducted in a more environmentally friendly manner, with minimal pollution and environmental damage. This is illustrated by mines in Ordos, one of the country's main coal-producing areas.

Since the establishment of the Dafanpu Mine, the company that operates it — Inner Mongolia Juungar Banner Liliang Coal Industry — has made consistent efforts to afforest the surrounding area.

To date, about 100,000 trees have been planted across almost 160,000 square meters, said Li Bo, the company's chairman. Grass seeds have also been sown across 680,000 sq m, thus afforestation work has taken place everywhere conditions permitted, he said, noting that the company has invested about 61 million yuan in such efforts.

To better promote the remediation of the mine's subsidence area and explore its use, the company set up an agricultural subsidiary named Liangyun in 2018. That was about a year after six national government departments, including the then-Ministry of Land and Resources, jointly issued a guideline promoting the development of green mines.

The old ministry was integrated into the Ministry of Natural Resources as part of a 2018 institutional reshuffle of the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The 2017 guideline demanded that all new mines nationwide must operate in an environmentally friendly manner. Meanwhile, existing facilities are gradually being upgraded to move them onto a green development track.

The document specified the fundamental requirements for green mining construction in seven sectors, including coal, petroleum and nonferrous metals.