Green mines construction in China：A long way to go
Background : Environment debt & Force of circumstances
Some mining enterprises used to attach importance only to resource extraction and economic indicators, pay little attention to local environment protection or its comprehensive benefit. This led to destruction of local ecological environment, some enterprises even can`t afford the cost of mine environmental recovery and rehabilitation. Such phenomena caused bad social influences that some backward areas with resource potential were of two minds when weighting new project in spite of a considerable economic outlook. What`s worse，some areas no longer accepted exploration or mining permit application，banned mining project completely for the sake of environmental protection. Therefore，a lot of people mistake resource development and utilization for the chief culprit of pollution. These measures blocked the transformation of resource advantage into economic advantage in above areas which cry out for getting rid of economic difficulties. Actually, we can achieve clean utilization of resource and enjoy convenience as well as comfortable environment. Only the construction of green mines can coordinate development between resource exploitation and environment protection.
On the other hand, mining had a rapid and significant development in past 10 years, while the environment were under great pressure at the same time. As Mr. Jiang Daming, the minister of Ministry of Land and Resources, said on this year`s national land and resources working conference, "In the view of environment and resource restriction, bearing capacity is close to superior limit, stringent protection and economical use of land and resources is an irresistible trend. In the past, resource and environment space is relatively large, the exploitation of land and mineral resources had a controlled impact on environment. But now, bearing capacity of resource and environment in many areas has reached or nearly reached the limit，constant large-scale intensive exploration will only cause troubles...,we should take overall consideration of land and resources exploration and ecological environment protection."
In conclusion, the construction of green mines is urgently necessary.
Development history: From tiny bud to full-grown tree
In 2007, the green mine construction which was only regarded as self-discipline behavior of enterprise at first, is still in its infancy. In this situation, Ministry of Land and Resources together with related national departments determined the strategic goal of green mines pattern and work out specific guidance. The first 37 pilot green mines were released in March 2011 by Ministry of Land and Resources while the second 183 unit in April 2012，the third and forth unit in 2014.
So far, there are 661 state-level pilot green mines in our country, 35 of them have passed the acceptance and completed construction objectives. In addition，some provinces also explore provincial pilot green mines actively, and have achieved good effects.
Although the green mine construction still faces some problems, it speed the construction pace leading to become more and more flourishing as subsequent pilot units are launched and experiences are popularized. The conditions and criterions of green mines rise to management system step by step. Construction patterns become more mature.
Policy support: Clear framework
In 2009, National development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Land and Resources jointly issued the National Mineral Resources Planning (2008 ~ 2015), put forward clear requirements for green mine development, and determine a strategic goal that establishing basic green mine pattern in 2020.
In order to fully apply the plan，the Ministry of Land and Resources issued a specific guidance on developing and construct green mine which defined the general idea and basic principles further on August 13 2010.
The general idea is to further carry out the Scientific Outlook on Development, to take the development and construction of green mine as an important method to guarantee healthy and sustainable mining development according to the national strategic requirements, to implement the objectives and requirements in the national mineral resources planning earnestly，to insist overall planning, policy set, pilot projects before launching all-round reforms and pushing forward reform as a whole, to change the way of mining development through green mine construction, to put in a place long-term mechanism to standardize order in the exploitation of mineral resources.
There are four basic principles. The first one is insisting on government`s lead, to carry out pilot projects and green mine construction standardization system. The second one is implementing corporate responsibility, to encourage companies to perform social obligations such as building up scientific development view. The third one is strengthening industry self-discipline，to give full play to industry association as a bridge and bond between mining enterprises. The fourth one is doing policy supporting well, to enact policy measures to promote reasonable utilization of resources and environmental protection.
Strategic significance: To realize mining development transition
China is now at a key stage of industrialization and urbanization, while resource rigid demand and environment pressure increase. The development and construction of green mine is an inevitable choice for carrying out the scientific outlook on development and transforming the economic development pattern.
To realize mining development transition, we should make rational utilization of resources, energy saving and emission reduction, environmental protection and harmonious mine lot as the main target, let the concept of green mining throughout the course of mineral resources exploitation, push recycling economy development model, realize the coordination of economic benefits, ecological benefits and social benefits of resources exploitation.
The key matter of develop green mine is to fully arouse the enthusiasm of mining enterprises, to strengthen industry self-discipline. Green mine is a revolution of mining enterprises operation and management mode, is an important means to guarantee the healthy development of mining industry.
Construction objective: Form national green mine pattern in 2020
To establish a perfect green mine standards system and management system and form a complete set of incentives is the next step of plan of China’s Ministry of Land and Resources. By 2020, we will generally formed the national green mining pattern, large and medium sized mining basically achieve green standards, small mining enterprises conduct standardized management in accordance with the conditions of green mine. The level of economical and intensive use of resource improve significantly, environmental protection of mines would be in effect，mine land reclamation level increase, mining enterprises and local government get along in harmony.
Although the green mine construction passed through several years that Ministry of Land and Resources has launched four group, a total of 661 pilot green mine. But compared with the large number of mines, pilot proportion of green mine is still not enough. There will a long way to go before form a pattern of the green mining in 2020.
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