Mines in China

The number of mines in China is very important and more particularly those of coal, which is the independent source of energy country. The China is today (November 2005), the country cash the most mines in the world (approximately 24.000 in 2005, but this figure is to be taken with precaution owing to the fact that there are no statistics reliable on this subject).

Independent source of energy

Whereas the economic growth of the country is most considerable of the world, China with great energy requirement to make function its factories. The production of electricity is ensured more than 70% by the coal.

In spite of that, the energy production is failing and several provinces undergo power cuts (26 of the 31 provinces and areas of the country knew power cuts in the first quarter of the year 2005).

To mitigate this lack, the government did nothing but increase the production of coal. Currently (November 2005), its objectives are to make pass the production of 2,1 billion tons in 2004 to 2,4 billion in 2010.

Dangerous mines

Because of an important request, many mines were born through all China. Some illegally and not holding any account of the legislation on safety. The fact that the local governments close the eyes make the Chinese mines most dangerous in the world. Officially, it there approximately 6.000 died per annum, of the independent estimates think more than this figure is about 20.000 victims per annum.

On several occasions the Chinese government invited the owners of the mines to respect the legislation on safety. The Administration of State for industrial safety even published on its Internet site that " the general secretary " (of the Chinese Communist party) " Hu Jintao and the Prime Minister Wen Jiabao often ordered at the departments concerned to take the necessary measures to reinforce safety and to prevent the accidents ".

The official News agency new China announced that a law of the province of the Henan, coming into effect the December 6th 2005, obliges the owners of the illegal mines to pay a Amende going from two to five million Yuan S (in December 2005 that corresponds respectively to approximately 210.000 and 525.000 Euro S) and to close their exploitation. Moreover if there is an accident, they will be obliged to pay a fine of a yuans million (approximately 105.000 euros in December 2005) per victim.

But without a true will of the local governments to make respect the law (because partly of the Corruption), the Chinese mines currently remains of true explosives magazines.

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