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China's mineral resources white paper stresses sustainable development

Posted on: Tuesday, 23 December 2003, 06:00 CST

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Beijing, 23 December: China will continue to persist in the strategy of sustainable development in the exploitation of mineral resources by enhancing rational use and protection of them and economization of their utilization, a white paper says Tuesday [23 December].

The white paper on China's policy on mineral resources, issued by the State Council's Information Office, says China will adhere to the principle of "exploiting resources in the course of protection and protecting them in the course of exploitation".

Efforts will be made to strive for better efficiency in the utilization of resources and open a new road to industrialization featuring high sci-tech content, good economic returns, low resources consumption, less environmental pollution, and full play to the advantages of human resources.

In the first 20 years of the 21st century, China will start building a well-off society in an all-round way, which will increase the total demand for mineral resources continuously.

Thus, China should raise input into mineral resources prospecting and exploitation, lay up necessary reserves vital to the national economy and people's livelihood, and strengthen the protection for mineral resources, so as to ensure the safety of the country's economy as well as the sustained and safe supply of mineral commodities, says the white paper.

The rational utilization of mineral resources should be based on a sound cycle between the exploitation and protection of the surrounding ecological environment. The white paper lists "to promote the improvement of the ecological environment of the mines" as one of China's general targets for the mineral resources management work in the early 21st century.

According to the white paper, China will further carry out the systems of environmental impact evaluation reporting, land rehabilitation and collecting fees for pollutant discharge in mining areas. The design, building and application of environmental protection facilities should go hand in hand with the mine construction. Active guidance should be given to enterprises for clean and safe production during the prospecting and exploitation of mineral resources.

Before a new mineral resources exploitation project starts, its impact on the ecological environment should be evaluated and measures should be taken to avoid or reduce adverse effects on its surrounding air, water, farmland, grasslands, forests or seas, says the white paper.

Exploitation activities that produce considerable negative impacts on the ecological environment are restricted in China. The exploitation of mineral resources is forbidden in national conservation, important scenic areas and important geological protection areas, and is strictly restricted in ecological protection areas.

Coking, metal refining and smelting, sulphur and vanadium refineries with indigenous methods are also strictly prohibited.

The government will organize nationwide investigations and evaluations of the ecological environment in mining areas, and strengthen the control and penalty over the discharge of poisonous and harmful waste water and other pollutants produced in mines.

Mining enterprises are required to strengthen investigation, monitoring, forecasting and early warning of disasters possibly induced in the course of developing mines, take effective measures to prevent and control them, and submit monitoring reports to the competent departments of the local governments.

Related government departments are urged to further restrict the exploitation of mineral resources in areas liable to geological disasters, and to prohibit unauthorized exploitation within a given distance on both sides of railway lines and major highways.

A programme for the exploitation and utilization of mineral resources should include plans for the protection of water and soil, land rehabilitation, and the prevention and control of geological disasters in mining areas as well as an evaluation report on geological environmental impacts, which should then be submitted for approval as stipulated, the white paper stresses.

The white paper says China will set up a multi-source investment mechanism for environmental protection in mining areas.

With regard to abandoned mines and old mines, the state will strengthen the restoration and improvement of the ecological environment on the basis of demonstration projects, and encourage investments from society at large. The investment mechanism for mines still in production will feature the mining enterprises as the leading role. While for new mines, the enterprises should provide the entire funds for environmental protection.

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