At the same time, the excess heat from the power plant is used to supply heat for residences in the area. And the fly ash discharged by the power plant is used as raw material for a cement plant. The shale left by the excavation process of coal is used as raw material for kaolin.

The group has a large forestation project around its mines and residential areas around the old mines have been replaced with greenery and forests. The green coverage rate was close to 29 percent by the end of 2010.

"You can hardly imagine the old group, back when coal exploitation was really intensive and the surrounding countryside was heavily polluted. The environment has changed a lot," Zhang said.

"Construction work has begun on the Jinhuagong National Mine Park, the first of its kind in China, which will open to tourists in 2012. By then, people will learn a lot more about the mining culture of our group," Zhang continued.

He said that the group wants to be a new, super big coal and electric energy group, in various ways, not just in coalmines, but in chemical engineering, metallurgy and machine manufacturing as well.

"Our main target for the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) is to become an energy conglomerate."

To fortify its place in the coal industry, the group plans to open six shafts, with an annual output of 10 million tons. It will also expand its electric power supply. By the end of 2015, the last year of the 12th Five-Year Plan, total installed electric power capacity is expected to reach 150,000 kilowatts.

Meanwhile, the group will increase its capital strength and set up a finance company, to guarantee a sufficient money supply.

"The transformation will benefit the country, the province, the industry, and the people. It can drive the economy and protect the ecology and environment at the same time," Zhang concluded.

(China Daily 11/08/2011 page24)