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Eco-friendly Management in Mining Introduced into China
Nine booklets on environment- friendly management in the mining industry have been introduced from Australia into China, the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said Monday.
This is regarded as a major step after the environmental protection administrations of the two countries signed a cooperation agreement last year, the SEPA said.
China would like to introduce more advanced knowledge from Australia, which has much experience in shaping an eco-friendly mining industry and developing practical technologies in this regard, said Xie Zhenhua, the SEPA director.
"Mineral products play an essential role in improving our living standards, but mining also has the potential to damage the environment," said Robert Hill, Australian minister of the environment at a press conference held here Monday.
The booklets aim to help mining companies, small and large, adopt sustainable operations, Hill added.
They cover issues such as proper planning for mines and assessment of potential environmental impacts, addressing workforce planning, monitoring of mine operations and tailings, and rehabilitation and revegetation after mines are abandoned.
The English version of the booklets were published in Australia, based on the country's experience in mining, minerals processing and oil and gas exploitation over the past decade.
The World Bank considers them the best publications in this field, Hill said.
China now has 200,000 mines, producing five billion tons of minerals annually and recording 400 billion yuan of output value.
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