North China's
Shanxi Province has shut down more than 4,500 small coal mines
and formed a number of large-scale coal enterprises or groups over
the past five years, said sources with the provincial coal work
conference Thursday.
Vice governor Jin Shanzhong said at the conference that Shanxi
stopped the running of 4,578 small coal mines with low
productivity, high energy cost and serious safety problems.
At the same time, more than 2,600 mines were ordered to improve
their production procedures with modern technologies.
The official said while the small coal mines are closed down,
two coal mine groups as well as some large enterprises have been
set up, accounting for about one half of Shanxi's coal
production.
Jin said 1,200 coal mines without the production safety permits
issued by the provincial government will be closed down this
year.
(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2006)
