Annual production is around 270 million tons and 110 million tons! Hebei Province has set targets for building stone ores and limestone ores used in cement!

On February 27, the Department of Natural Resources of Hebei Province issued the "Hebei Province Non-Coal Mining Industry Development Plan (2021–2025)," which outlines that by 2025, the province's capacity to ensure the supply of non-coal mineral resources will be further enhanced. The industry will gradually shift toward intensive and large-scale development, with more mature and efficient utilization technologies, further strengthened capabilities in scientific and technological innovation, and a significantly improved level of intrinsic safety at mining enterprises. Meanwhile, green mine construction will steadily advance, initially establishing a new pattern of high-quality development for the non-coal mining industry characterized by "greenness, safety, conservation, intensification, and efficiency."

The “Plan” establishes a key indicator system for the development of the non-coal mining industry. Based on the actual conditions of mineral resource endowment, exploration, development, utilization, and protection in Hebei Province, and after a comprehensive analysis of the current situation facing the province’s non-coal mining industry, the Plan sets forth eight prospective indicators grouped into five categories: resource security, intensive development, efficient utilization, technological innovation, safe production, and green development. During the planning period, it is expected that newly discovered iron ore reserves will amount to 300 million tons, gold reserves will reach 10 tons, and crystalline graphite reserves will total 1.5 million tons. Annual output of iron concentrate (62% grade) will remain stable at around 70 million tons; annual output of construction stone materials will stay at approximately 270 million tons; annual output of limestone used for cement will be maintained at about 110 million tons. The proportion of large- and medium-sized mines will reach roughly 35%, and plans are underway to establish one comprehensive service platform for the non-coal mining industry.

Key Indicators of the Development Plan for the Non-Coal Mining Industry

The Plan optimizes the structural layout of mineral resource exploration and development. Fully implement the Implementation Plan for Strategic Mineral Exploration in Hebei Province, and intensify efforts to explore strategic and scarce mineral resources such as iron, gold, and copper. Deepen exploration of strategically advantageous minerals like molybdenum and crystalline graphite, and strive for significant breakthroughs in the new round of mineral exploration initiatives to ensure national resource security. At the same time, in accordance with the principles of "government-led, plan-based regulation, enterprise voluntariness, market-oriented operations, and stability maintenance," carry out the consolidation and restructuring of mining enterprises. Reduce the number of mining entities, increase the proportion of large- and medium-sized mines, optimize the structure of mine development, promote the development of mining groups, and foster intensive and large-scale exploitation and utilization of mineral resources, thereby rationalizing the spatial layout of mining development.

The Plan emphasizes strengthening technology-driven leadership and efficient resource utilization. Implement an innovation-driven development strategy, promote technological innovations in mining, ore dressing, and comprehensive utilization, and enhance service capabilities and standards. Taking large- and medium-sized mining enterprises as the main body, and collaborating with universities and research institutes, actively foster the integration of industry, academia, and research. Actively promote and apply advanced, suitable technologies and equipment for efficient resource utilization, strictly enforce the national “three-rate” indicators, step up comprehensive evaluation and utilization of co-associated mineral resources, and continuously improve the level of comprehensive utilization of solid wastes such as tailings and waste rock.

The Plan strengthens the construction of green mines and the level of intrinsic safety. Integrate the concept of green development throughout the entire process of mineral resource exploration, development, and protection. Treat green mining as a key driver for promoting the green development of the mining industry, actively conduct research on green mining technologies, and gradually achieve green development and utilization of mineral resources, while exploring and establishing new mechanisms for mining development. Newly built, renovated, or expanded mines shall be designed, constructed, and operated in accordance with green mine construction standards. Existing mines should accelerate their upgrading and transformation to gradually meet green mine standards. At the same time, we must strike a balance between development and safety, strictly uphold the safety red lines, reinforce the safety bottom lines, and fortify the safety defense lines. We should fully leverage the responsibilities and roles of the safety supervision authorities in the non-coal mining sector, supervise non-coal mining enterprises to implement comprehensive governance and fulfill their primary responsibilities for safe production, and continuously enhance the level of safety management in non-coal mines across the province.

Hebei Province Non-Coal Mining Industry Development Plan

(2021–2025)

Preface

Hebei Province boasts favorable endowment conditions for non-coal mineral resources and enjoys a uniquely advantageous geographic location. It plays a crucial role in supporting the resource and environmental needs of major national strategies such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the construction of the Xiong'an New Area. The non-coal mines referred to in this plan are those mining metallic and non-metallic minerals, excluding energy minerals and hydrocarbon resources. These mines constitute an important foundation for our province’s national economic development and hold significant status and functions in ensuring the supply of mineral products, safeguarding the security of industrial chains, and promoting socio-economic development.

To fully implement Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, strengthen the management of the non-coal mining industry across the province, and promote high-quality development of the non-coal mining sector, in accordance with the “Regulations on Comprehensive Governance of Non-Coal Mines in Hebei Province,” the “14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the 2035 Long-Term Vision Goals of Hebei Province,” the “Overall Plan for Mineral Resources of Hebei Province (2021–2025),” and other relevant documents, and taking into account the actual conditions of the non-coal mining industry throughout the province, we have prepared the “Hebei Province Non-Coal Mining Industry Development Plan (2021–2025).”

The planning scope covers all administrative regions under the jurisdiction of the province. The base year for the plan is 2020, with a planning period from 2021 to 2025 and a vision extending to 2035.

I. Development Foundation and Situation

(1) Development Foundation. Hebei Province is rich in non-coal mineral resources and has a long history of resource development. It has achieved significant progress in areas such as resource utilization, safe production, scientific and technological advancement, and green development, laying a solid foundation for the industry’s growth.

Mineral resources are relatively abundant. The province has identified a total of 114 types of non-coal mineral resources, including 71 minerals with confirmed reserves and 1,363 mineral deposits. Among these, 37 minerals rank among the top five in the country in terms of proven reserves, while 19 minerals rank between sixth and tenth. Specifically, the province’s iron ore reserves stand at 9.609 billion tons, placing it third nationwide; molybdenum reserves amount to 874,600 tons; gold reserves reach 290.51 tons; metallurgical-grade dolomite reserves total 1.267 billion tons; and cement-grade limestone reserves come to 5.513 billion tons.

The level of resource utilization continues to improve. The “three-rate” indicators for major non-coal mineral resources such as iron, gold, and molybdenum have reached or exceeded national standards. Co-occurring mineral resources like vanadium, titanium, phosphorus, and sulfur have been effectively utilized, with the total output value of their comprehensive utilization reaching 2.127 billion yuan. Solid wastes generated by mines—such as tailings and waste rock—have been comprehensively utilized to varying degrees and are widely applied in fields including construction, transportation, and agriculture.

Scientific and technological innovation capabilities have been significantly enhanced. The application of advanced mining and beneficiation technologies in non-coal mines across the province has been steadily improving. Technologies and equipment such as tailings cemented backfilling, curtain grouting for water control, deep-hole blasting in underground mining, dry separation and waste-disposal technology for large iron ore blocks, wet pre-selection processes, dry discharge of tailings, rock-drilling rigs, high-pressure roller mills, high-frequency fine screens, and washing machines have all been widely adopted.

The industrial structure of the mining sector is steadily being optimized. The province has a total of 1,685 non-coal mining enterprises, including 149 large-scale mines and 220 medium-sized mines. The number of large and medium-sized mines accounts for approximately 21.90% of the total. The province’s total output of non-coal mine ores is about 280 million tons, with large and medium-sized mines accounting for roughly 86.07% of the total output. The situation of numerous small and scattered non-coal mines has been significantly improved.

The geological environment of the mine has significantly improved. The province has successively launched a series of targeted campaigns, including in-depth remediation of pollution from open-pit mines and intensive efforts to comprehensively manage mining sites. In total, the province has addressed 3,705 abandoned mine sites where the responsible parties have disappeared, covering an area of 16,593 hectares. The geological environment of newly built and ongoing mines has been thoroughly restored, and operating mines now implement simultaneous mining and remediation. Moreover, the geological environment damaged by closed mines and policy-driven mine closures has been effectively restored.

Green mine construction has achieved results. A total of 65 non-coal mines across the province have been included in the National Green Mine List, including: 25 iron mines, 11 limestone mines for cement production, 9 gold mines, and 20 others. Additionally, a total of 81 non-coal mines have been added to Hebei Province’s Green Mine Reserve Pool, comprising: 41 iron mines, 11 limestone mines for cement production, 1 gold mine, and 28 others. The construction of the Chengde Green Mining Development Demonstration Zone is steadily advancing, and dozens of non-coal mines have already been incorporated into the National Green Mine List.

The situation for safe production is stable and improving. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the province as a whole recorded a total of 40 production safety accidents in non-coal mines, resulting in 57 fatalities. Compared with the same period during the 12th Five-Year Plan, both the number of accidents and the number of fatalities declined significantly. The province did not experience any major or particularly serious accidents. The fatality rate from production safety accidents per 100,000 people dropped from 0.698 at the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan to 0.256 at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan, representing a decrease of 63.32%.

(2) Main issues. After years of development, the non-coal mining industry across the province has achieved certain accomplishments, yet several challenges remain. First, exploration efforts for strategic and scarce non-coal mineral resources across the province still need to be strengthened; some mines engaged in the development of such strategic and scarce resources need to further intensify their efforts in prospecting around the periphery and at greater depths. Second, through comprehensive governance, the industrial structure of non-coal mines has been optimized to a certain extent, but the proportion of large- and medium-sized non-coal mines in the province still needs to be further increased. Third, the degree and level of comprehensive recycling and utilization of co-associated minerals, tailings, waste rock, and other solid wastes generated by some non-coal mines still require further improvement. Fourth, there is an urgent need to boost the motivation, capacity, R&D investment, and technology transfer of technological innovation within mining enterprises. Fifth, the proportion of green mines included in the provincial reserve database remains relatively low, and both the quantity and quality of green mine construction need to be further enhanced. Sixth, the intensity of safety education, awareness-raising, and training in mines needs to be further stepped up, continuously improving capabilities in preventing safety accidents, identifying hidden dangers, and handling incidents.

(3) The current situation. The 14th Five-Year Plan represents a critical period for building a strong, economically robust province and a beautiful Hebei. It calls for both enhancing resource security to support economic development and intensifying efforts to prevent and control pollution and protect the ecological environment. As a result, the non-coal mining industry is facing a complex development landscape.

From the perspective of the macroeconomic situation: Our country is currently in a critical phase of shifting development models, optimizing economic structures, and transforming growth drivers. Vigorously expanding domestic demand and establishing a new development pattern featuring a dominant domestic circulation while fostering mutual reinforcement between domestic and international circulations are major decisions made by the central authorities. The fundamental trend of China’s economy—steady progress with long-term positive prospects—remains unchanged. The coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the construction of the Xiong’an New Area have provided new impetus for our province’s economic and social development, creating rare development opportunities for our province’s non-coal mining industry.

From the perspective of resource supply and demand: China’s economy will continue to maintain a medium-to-high growth rate. The total demand for bulk mineral resources—such as iron, copper, and aluminum—that underpin the development of the national economy will keep rising. At the same time, domestic resource supplies remain insufficient, and our dependence on foreign sources remains stubbornly high. Take iron ore as an example: 85% of China’s iron ore is imported, and our resource security level stands at less than 15%. In our province alone, over 80% of iron ore is also imported. International mining giants, leveraging their advantages in both quantity and quality, are engaging in unilateral trade protection, monopolizing the iron ore market, and continuously driving up iron ore prices, thereby posing a serious threat to the security of China’s economic development.

From the perspective of mining development trends: First, production and operational costs have risen. Since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, our country has adopted a holistic approach to managing the integrated system of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and sand. The mining industry now operates under the strictest environmental protection regulations, leading to increased restoration and remediation tasks during mine construction and production. As a result, the entry barriers for mine construction have been raised, and overall production and operational costs have gone up. Second, competitive pressures have intensified. Our province has abundant low-grade mineral resources but scarce high-grade ones, giving it inherently inadequate resource conditions and relatively low industrial concentration. Compared with foreign mines and superior mines located outside the province, mines in our province will face tremendous competitive pressure. Third, the task of achieving high-quality development is daunting. The overall quality of mine development remains low; there is insufficient investment in the deep processing and applied research of mineral products; and the overall level of the industrial chain is stuck at the mid-to-low end. There is an urgent need to strengthen efforts in areas such as resource exploitation, ecological environment protection, energy conservation and emission reduction, scientific and technological advancement, smart mine development, and the establishment of a modern mining market system.

II. Guiding Ideology, Basic Principles, and Planning Objectives

(1) Guiding Ideology. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, deeply embrace Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, and earnestly carry out the decisions and deployments of the provincial Party committee and provincial government. We will comprehensively, accurately, and thoroughly implement the new development philosophy, taking the promotion of high-quality development in the province’s non-coal mining industry as our theme, enhancing the capacity to ensure the supply of strategic mineral resources as our goal, and advancing the rational utilization and protection of mineral resources as our main focus. Driven by reform and innovation, we will comprehensively promote the conservation and intensive use of non-coal mineral resources, and forge a new pattern of mining development characterized by “green, safe, conservation-oriented, intensive, and efficient” practices. In doing so, we will contribute to accelerating the building of a strong economic province and a beautiful Hebei, and to effectively implementing the Hebei scenario for Chinese-style modernization.

(2) Basic Principles.

Uphold resource security. Continue to advance breakthroughs in mineral exploration, intensify efforts to explore strategic and critical mineral resources, encourage mining enterprises to conduct resource exploration around and at greater depths within mining areas, gradually increase strategic reserves of mineral resources, actively promote the construction of key non-coal mine projects, and comprehensively enhance our capacity to secure non-coal mineral resources.

Uphold green development. Uphold the strictest ecological and environmental protection system, strengthen green exploration, green mining, and green ore processing, and minimize ecological and environmental damage caused by resource development. In doing so, support economic and social development needs with the least resource consumption and the smallest environmental cost.

Uphold safe development. Firmly establish the red-line awareness that “development must never come at the cost of human lives,” uphold the bottom line of safe production in mining, and build a safety production responsibility system characterized by “joint Party and government responsibility, dual responsibilities for each post, coordinated management by all parties, and accountability for negligence.” Strengthen safety production access requirements, enforce the primary responsibility of mining enterprises for safe production, and enhance the inherent safety level of the non-coal mining industry.

Persist in innovation-driven development. Promote technological upgrades and capacity expansion, as well as industrial transformation and upgrading; further adjust the structure of resource development and utilization, shift the approach to mineral resource exploitation and utilization, accelerate the restructuring and consolidation of mining enterprises, cultivate large-scale mining conglomerates, build major mining bases, and drive the intensive and large-scale development of non-coal mines across the province.

Persist in efficient utilization. Vigorously develop, apply, and promote advanced mining and mineral processing technologies both domestically and internationally; strengthen the comprehensive recovery of resources; enhance the integrated exploration, evaluation, and utilization of critical mineral resources; adhere to the principle of using high-quality mineral products for high-value applications; and raise the level of comprehensive utilization of co-associated minerals, tailings, waste rock, and other solid wastes.

(3) Planning objectives. By 2025, the province’s capacity to ensure non-coal mineral resources will be further enhanced, gradually achieving intensive and large-scale development. Highly efficient utilization technologies will become more mature, innovation capabilities will continue to strengthen, the inherent safety level of mining enterprises will improve further, and the construction of green mines will steadily advance, initially establishing a new pattern of high-quality development in the non-coal mining industry characterized by “greenness, safety, conservation, intensification, and efficiency.”

Resource assurance objectives. We will intensify efforts to explore and develop strategic and urgently needed non-coal mineral resources, rationally allocate resources, optimize development layouts, and further enhance the province’s capacity to secure non-coal mineral resources.

Intensive development goals. The number of small non-coal mines across the province has significantly decreased, while the proportion of large and medium-sized mines has further increased, leading to a noticeable rise in the intensity and scale of non-coal mining operations.

Efficiently utilize the target. The “three rates” indicators for major non-coal mineral resources across the province shall not be lower than the national standards. The level of comprehensive utilization of co-associated minerals, tailings, waste rock, and other solid wastes will continue to improve, and the demonstration effect of efficient resource utilization will keep strengthening. We will promote the construction of demonstration zones and model mines for efficient resource utilization.

Technological innovation goals. The capability for tackling key technologies in the mining and beneficiation of large- and medium-sized non-coal mines across the province has further improved. Significant progress has been made in the construction of industry-academia-research platforms, and the demonstration effect of smart mines has become even more prominent.

Safety production objectives. The inherent safety level of non-coal mining enterprises across the province has further improved. Both the number of fatalities from production safety accidents and the fatality rate per 100,000 people have declined, and serious and particularly serious production safety accidents have been effectively brought under control.

Green development goals. New non-coal mines across the province are designed and constructed in accordance with green mine standards, and the level of green mine development in operating mines continues to improve, further highlighting the green development benefits of the non-coal mining industry.

Looking ahead to 2035, the non-coal mining industry across the province will have a more refined and sustainable development model characterized by high-quality growth. The ecological environment of mining areas will be comprehensively improved, the situation regarding mine safety production will markedly improve, and the capacity to ensure mineral resource supply will be significantly enhanced.

III. Enhance Resource Assurance Capabilities

Fully implement the "Implementation Plan for Strategic Mineral Exploration in Hebei Province (2021–2035)," and intensify exploration efforts for strategically critical mineral resources such as iron, gold, and copper. Deeply advance exploration of strategically advantageous minerals like molybdenum and crystalline graphite, striving to achieve significant breakthroughs in the new round of mineral exploration initiatives and ensuring national resource security.

We encourage the conduct of geological exploration activities in the peripheral and deep regions of mining areas to increase the reserve levels of mineral resources. We will gradually enhance the province's capacity to ensure the supply of non-coal mineral resources, accelerate the construction of key non-coal mining projects across the province, and give priority to advancing projects such as the Shougang Macheng Iron Ore Mining and Processing Project, the 9.5-million-ton-per-year iron ore processing project of Chengde Shuangluan Fengyuan Mining, the expansion and renovation of the Chengde Jingcheng Mining Mining and Processing Facility, the southern mining and processing project of HeSteel Sijiaying Iron Ore Mine, the Shougang Shuichang Iron Ore Open-Pit-to-Underground Conversion Project, the Miaogou Iron Ore Mine in Qinglong Manchu Autonomous County, the Nan Lizhuang Iron Ore Mine in Handan County, the Baijian Iron Ore Mine in Shahe City, and the expansion and renovation of the Jinbao Gold Mine in Pingquan, Chengde. These efforts will continuously strengthen our ability to regulate and secure the supply of mineral products.

4. Optimize the structure and layout of development.

Following the principles of “government-led, planning-based management, voluntary participation by enterprises, market-oriented operations, and maintenance of stability,” we will comprehensively employ legal, economic, and administrative measures. Through methods such as merging smaller mines into larger ones, replacing inferior mines with superior ones, providing reasonable compensation, conducting overall acquisitions (transfers), or contributing resources as equity, we will consolidate and restructure densely distributed small mines that exploit the same ore body (or ore belt), as well as small mines located adjacent to large and medium-sized mines and mines that lack the financial capacity or technical expertise to carry out upgrades in environmental protection, safety, and technological equipment. We will support and encourage large and medium-sized mining enterprises with strong financial resources and advanced technologies to serve as the main entities for consolidation and restructuring, adopting approaches such as overall acquisitions and joint operations to implement these efforts. By reducing the number of mining enterprise entities and increasing the proportion of large and medium-sized enterprises, we aim to optimize the structure of mine development, promote group-based development in the mining industry, facilitate intensive and large-scale exploitation of mineral resources, and ensure a more rational layout of mining operations. Newly established, expanded, and consolidated independent production systems must be designed with production scales meeting the minimum mining scale requirements for medium-sized mines stipulated by laws, regulations, and policies, and their designed service life must be no less than five years. We will also cease establishing new independent ore-processing plants without guaranteed sources of ore, and discontinue the operation of existing ore-processing plants that lack secured ore supplies.

The development of mineral resources such as iron and gold is increasingly concentrated in nationally planned mining areas located in eastern Hebei, Handan-Xingtai, Chengde, Zhangjiakou, and other regions. The development of non-metallic building materials and mineral resources is also being focused on key mining areas, thus forming an exploitation layout that is well-coordinated with regional industrial and economic development. This will gradually lead to the centralized, clustered, and intensive development and utilization of mineral resources.

Promote the development and utilization of iron ore resources in cities such as Tangshan, Chengde, Xingtai, and Handan, enhance the concentration of mineral resource development, and foster industrial cluster development of iron ore resources. Strengthen the exploration and development of gold deposits in areas including Qianxi–Kuancheng, Lingshou–Fuping, and Chongli–Xuanhua, giving priority to resource allocation and implementing large-scale development. Appropriately develop and utilize molybdenum resources in regions such as Pingquan and Fengning, controlling new production capacity and maintaining overall development levels stable. Optimize the layout of lead-zinc mining operations in areas including Zhangbei, Chicheng, Fengning, and Longhua, refine mine size structures, and improve the comprehensive utilization rate of co-associated elements. For bulk non-metallic minerals such as construction aggregate and limestone for cement, focus development within key mining zones including Kaiping–Fengrun, Quyang–Yixian, Zanhuang–Jingxing, Lincheng–Xindu, Wu'an–Fengfeng, and Kuancheng–Xinglong, primarily targeting building materials and non-metallic minerals. Reasonably delineate key mining zones and enhance the capacity to supply mineral resources.

V. Promote the efficient use of resources

Actively promote the application of advanced and suitable technologies and equipment for efficient resource utilization, strictly enforce the national “three-rate” indicators, step up comprehensive evaluation and utilization of co-associated mineral resources, and continuously enhance the level of comprehensive utilization of solid wastes such as tailings and waste rock. Encourage research on the beneficiation and metallurgy of cobalt resources in the Handing-Xingtai iron ore deposits, and advance the integrated utilization of resources. Focus on promoting the comprehensive recovery and utilization of vanadium-titanium resources in the Chengde region, the integrated recovery of co-associated elements—including phosphorus, titanium, molybdenum, gold, and silver—in the Zhangcheng region, the comprehensive utilization of limestone deposits in the eastern Hebei and Handing-Xingtai regions, and the integrated recovery of low-grade ores and hematite in the eastern Hebei region. Guide non-coal mining enterprises to make efficient use of mineral resources.

6. Strengthen the leading role of scientific and technological innovation.

Implement an innovation-driven development strategy, promote technological innovations in mining, ore dressing, comprehensive utilization, and other related fields, and enhance service capabilities and standards. Focusing on large- and medium-sized mining enterprises as the main body, and in collaboration with universities and research institutes, actively foster the integration of industry, academia, and research for innovative development.

Carry out research and development on key technologies including steep-slope mining techniques, backfilling mining techniques, mine-mining technologies for zero-waste (low-waste) operations, curtain grouting mining techniques for large-water ore deposits, technologies for recovering phosphorus and titanium resources from ultra-low-grade vanadium-titanium magnetite tailings, pre-concentration and comprehensive utilization technologies for low-grade vanadium-titanium magnetite ores, and comprehensive resource utilization technologies for entire tailings volumes. Also, conduct research and development on key technologies for 5G+ smart mine construction, technologies for the comprehensive utilization and safe disposal of solid wastes such as mine tailings and waste rock, and technologies for the comprehensive utilization of polymetallic coexisting ores. Strengthen the promotion and application of advanced technologies and equipment in the non-coal mining sector, focus on addressing technical challenges in areas such as mining and beneficiation processes, resource utilization, energy conservation and consumption reduction, safe production, quality improvement and efficiency enhancement, and environmental protection, and intensify efforts to transform scientific and technological achievements into practical applications.

Promote the construction of demonstration smart mines such as the Zhongguan Iron Ore Mine in Shahe City and the limestone mine for Jinyu Cement in Zanhuang County. Actively explore the deep integration of advanced technologies—including 3D modeling, virtual simulation, intelligent mining and beneficiation, automated ore blending, autonomous driving, and disaster monitoring—with next-generation information and communication technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and 5G communications. Gradually achieve digital, automated, and intelligent applications across various aspects of mine resource management, mining production, ore dressing and processing, and transportation and warehousing.

7. Promote green development of mines.

Integrate the concept of green development throughout the entire process of mineral resource exploration, development, and protection. Treat green mining as a key driver for promoting the green development of the mining industry, actively conduct research on green mining technologies, and gradually achieve green development and utilization of mineral resources, while exploring and establishing new mechanisms for mining development. Encourage mining enterprises to increase their financial investments in green mining, upgrade their production technologies and equipment, and build a green mining development model characterized by high technological content, low resource consumption, and minimal environmental pollution. This will help minimize carbon emissions to the greatest extent possible and promote the green and low-carbon development of the mining industry.

Promote the coordinated advancement of green mine development across the province. Newly built, renovated, and expanded mines shall be designed, constructed, and operated in accordance with green mine construction standards. Existing mines should accelerate their upgrading and transformation to gradually meet green mine standards. Gradually refine relevant policies on land use, resource allocation, taxation and finance, financial services, and credit, providing support for the development of green mines and progressively achieving ecological restoration of mining areas, scientific mining practices, efficient resource utilization, standardized enterprise management, and harmonious mining communities.

8. Enhance the level of intrinsic safety.

Strictly uphold the red line for production safety in non-coal mines, strengthen the safety bottom line, and solidify the safety defense line. The departments responsible for safety production supervision in the non-coal mining industry shall be tasked with reviewing the safety facility designs of construction projects and, in accordance with the law, intensifying oversight over the preparation of safety facility design documents. They shall also ensure that the safety facilities of non-coal mining enterprises are designed, constructed, and put into operation simultaneously with the main project. In line with their respective responsibilities, these departments shall supervise non-coal mining enterprises to fulfill their primary responsibility for comprehensive management, formulate relevant industry-specific safety production regulations and standards, and provide guidance and oversight on the implementation of safety standardization and the establishment of safety prevention and control systems within the non-coal mining industry, continuously enhancing the province's overall level of safety management in non-coal mining operations.

Non-coal mining enterprises shall strictly fulfill their statutory responsibilities for safe production, continuously improve the basic conditions for safe production, implement tiered management of both basic safety facilities and specialized safety facilities in mines, and deepen the implementation of the dual prevention mechanism for safe production as well as the standardization of safe production practices. In accordance with the requirements of the “Catalog of Newly Applicable Safety Technologies and Equipment for Metal and Non-metallic Mines,” enterprises shall accelerate the promotion of advanced and suitable technologies and equipment for safe production. They shall also ensure adequate staffing with technical personnel specializing in geology, mining, ore dressing, mechanical and electrical engineering, and further implement the system for assigning registered safety engineers.

9. Guarantee Measures

(1) Strengthen organizational leadership and coordination. Implement the "Notice on Issuing the List of Responsibilities for Comprehensive Governance of Non-Coal Mines by Relevant Provincial Departments" (Ji Zheng Ban Zi [2023] No. 7) issued by the General Office of the Provincial Government. In accordance with the division of responsibilities, strengthen coordinated management, further refine relevant policies and measures, and ensure effective implementation of the work. Fully leverage the role of the coordination mechanism: the Provincial Department of Natural Resources shall enhance coordination and cooperation with the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, the Provincial Emergency Management Department, and other relevant departments to ensure smooth policy alignment, promptly address issues arising during the implementation of the plan, and jointly promote its successful implementation. The municipal and county authorities responsible for natural resources, based on local conditions, shall work together with relevant departments to formulate implementation plans, clearly define responsible entities, and detail specific goals and tasks to ensure that the plan is effectively carried out.

(2) Emphasize the evaluation of planning implementation. Establish a dynamic evaluation mechanism for the mid-term and final stages of plan implementation, conducting ongoing tracking, analysis, and dynamic assessment of plan objectives, key contents, and priority projects. This will enable timely understanding of the plan’s implementation status and any emerging issues. Based on the actual implementation of the plan, as well as changes in economic development and industrial policies, and taking into account the real conditions of industry development, we will study solutions, refine relevant measures, and continuously improve the plan’s effectiveness.

(3) Improve and refine the industry’s institutional framework. Improve the institutional framework for the non-coal mining industry, promote the establishment of industry management agencies across the province, and set up a three-tier industry management system at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. Clearly define functional responsibilities and clarify the division of powers and responsibilities among various stakeholders—including industrial policies, industry planning, project approval and filing, mining rights approvals, safe production, environmental protection, and soil and water conservation—in the context of mineral resource development. Explore the development of a high-quality development indicator system that is tailored to the actual conditions of our province, ensuring that high-quality development in the non-coal mining industry is quantifiable, assessable, and evaluable, thereby providing strong support for strengthening the development of the non-coal mining industry.

(4) Strengthen industry capacity building. Promote the statistical survey and the construction of an industry service platform for the non-coal mining sector across the province, enhance the quality of industry monitoring and statistical data, and provide support and services for government macro-management and the production and operations of mining enterprises. Strengthen guidance on expert reviews of design documents for non-coal mining construction projects, and implement supervision and management over the execution of these design documents. Support mining enterprises, research institutes, universities, and other institutions in establishing industry development research centers to study major policies and critical technologies in industry development, address key challenges encountered in practical work, and drive high-quality development of the non-coal mining sector.