Beijing plans to close 70 per cent of its local solid mines to improve the environment for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, reports Xinhua. The city has already closed 450 solid mines, 53 per cent of its total, said an official with the Beijing Bureau of Land and Resources.
Seventy per cent of the mines will be closed by the end of 2007 and 90 per cent by 2010.
Mines in Beijing occupy 4,890 hectares of land and have accumulated waste residue of 167.89 million tons, which the official, said “contravenes the government’s requirement for an ecological environment for the 2008 Olympics”.
Mines that don’t meet environmental protection and safety production standards will be closed if they cannot correct their situation, said the official.
The official added that Beijing would continue to combat illegal exploitation of gravel, iron ore and coal resources.
