China has made steady progress in green mine development, with more than 5,500 provincial-level or higher green mines now established nationwide, the Ministry of Natural Resources said.

According to the ministry, China is accelerating efforts to promote greener mining practices and will organize a new round of selections for national-level green mines.

At present, the country has built more than 1,000 national-level green mines and over 4,500 provincial-level green mines.

The ministry said all newly built mines will be required to operate in line with green mine standards, while existing mines in production will be urged to speed up green upgrades and transformation.

Mines that have not yet begun the process will be required to launch green mine development as soon as possible, fulfill ecological restoration obligations in mining areas, and strengthen environmental rehabilitation efforts.

China will also continue improving its standards system. Industry standards for green mines in sectors such as coal and non-ferrous metals will be upgraded to national standards, while new standards will be introduced for open-pit mines, geothermal mineral water resources, and offshore oil and gas projects.

The ministry added that dynamic management of the green mine directory will be strengthened, with mines that fail to meet required standards removed in a timely manner.