Shanxi: mining enterprises must pay geological disaster deposit
News Archive - Coal & Electric Power -September news )
(China Coal Resource, Sept 21, 2006) -- Mining enterprises in north China's Shanxi province are required to pay the geological disaster deposit before mining mineral resources, according to a provincial meeting on geological work held Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency reported.
 
Certain pre-set amount of geological disaster deposit in accordance with the mining scale and extracted mineral resources should be paid by mining enterprises, said director Zhang Huaiwen of the Shanxi Provincial Land and Resources Department during the meeting.
 
A contract on mine environment restoration will be signed between the land and resources departments and mining enterprises, said Mr. Zhang, adding that mining enterprises will hold the deposit and its interest.
 
Relevant department will conduct an annual assessment over mining enterprises to determine whether the obligation of disaster control and environment restoration has been well implemented.
 
The deposit will be returned to these enterprises that have carried out the obligation, otherwise, will be kept by local government and land and resources department for unified disaster control and environment restoration plans. 
 
Due to years of mineral resources exploitation, serious geological disasters have occurred frequently in Shanxi province. There are more than 3500 sq. km of various mine goaf areas and 2700 sq. km of cave-in areas in the province. Meanwhile, some 362 geological accidents and disasters happened in the past five years, with 151 people died, 70% of which are related to resources mining.

Source:China Coal Resource
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