China has built more than 5,500 green mines at or above the provincial level, marking substantial progress in the country's effort toward a more sustainable and ecologically friendly model, natural resources officials said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of this year's World Earth Day.

"Building green mines has become a common understanding among local governments, regulators, mining enterprises and the public," said Dong Qingji, deputy director general of the Ministry of Natural Resources' department of mineral resources protection and supervision.

Dong noted that green mining requirements have been written into the Mineral Resources Law and the Ecological Environment Code, providing strong legal backing. A working system featuring government guidance, departmental coordination, enterprise leadership and public supervision is now largely in place.

"Upholding the principle of 'mining while restoring', mining areas have strictly implemented their ecological restoration plans to carry out phased and zoned environmental governance and rehabilitation," Dong said, adding that some mining areas have given a face-lift to the industrial scars of past extensive mining, turning them into scenic spots and reshaping the image of mining enterprises.

For example, at the Guojiagou lead-zinc mine in Longnan, Gansu province, mining operations are hidden from view while scenic landscapes dominate, creating a model for modern green mining.

This achievement stems from the mining area's commitment to a green development philosophy from the outset, integrating sustainability into every phase — from mine design and equipment selection to processing technologies and production.

The mine employs an innovative underground mining method and uses tailings backfilling technology to fill excavated areas, significantly reducing land damage such as surface subsidence and tailings discharge. Above ground, the area combines industrial development, ecological preservation and scenic enhancement, transforming the plant into a park and the mine into a tourist attraction. It has become a national 4A-level tourist site and a national industrial tourism demonstration base.

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Advances in science and technology have also improved the efficiency of mine resource utilization. These include low-grade ore mining techniques that extend the mine's service life, as well as digital and intelligent systems that enhance overall mining efficiency.

Known as "the world nonferrous metals museum", the Shizhuyuan polymetallic deposit in Hunan province contains 143 mineral species, including nationally significant resources such as tungsten, tin, molybdenum and fluorite. Facing the challenge of processing low-grade, complex associated ores, the mine has pursued industry-academia-research collaboration and succeeded in making a large quantity of previously uneconomical low-grade associated ore resources viable.

Further north, in the Hulunbuir grassland of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the Yimin open-pit mine is located in a fragile ecological environment, requiring stringent standards for green and low-carbon development.

Through technological upgrades and process optimization, raw coal is now transported directly to a nearby power plant via a 32.8-kilometer fully enclosed conveyor belt corridor, enabling clean, zero-exposure transport. Electricity generated by the plant, along with power from photovoltaic facilities, is supplied to the grid and used for mine operations. The mine has also established a digital intelligent operation platform aimed at advancing unmanned production processes to enhance safety and efficiency.

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China's experience in building green mines has provided a Chinese solution for the green development of the global mining industry, particularly for countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Cukaru Peki copper-gold mine in Serbia, built and put into operation by Zijin Mining Group Co Ltd, was hailed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as 'Serbia's first green mine, meeting the highest environmental standards in the country,'" Dong said.

The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) emphasizes the importance of enhancing the comprehensive utilization of mineral resources and promoting green exploration and green mine construction. The Ministry of Natural Resources is currently conducting a new round of selection for national-level green mines, aiming to promote high-quality development of the mining industry and contribute to the building a Beautiful China.