A "green mine" refers to a mineral resource development process that not only requires strict implementation of scientific and orderly mining but also controls the disturbance to the mine and its surrounding environment within an environmentally manageable range. From a definitional perspective, the content involved in green mine construction is quite extensive. Combining industry insights and practical experience, Zhongli Power has summarized the key aspects of green mine construction as follows (for a detailed, in-depth reading, please refer to the full text):
1. Legalization of Mine Mining
1. Mining enterprises must legally obtain relevant certificates including the mining right certificate, mine production license, forestry harvesting license, and explosive materials use permit; they must comply with national laws, regulations, industrial policies, mineral resource planning, and geological environmental protection plans.
2. Mine construction projects must have approved mine environmental impact assessments, soil and water conservation plans (schemes), and safety comprehensive evaluation reports; mining enterprises must manage and organize production in accordance with the law, and pay mine environmental restoration funds in full and on time.
3. Within two years prior to application, there shall be no production safety accidents, no human deaths caused by accidents, no environmental pollution accidents, and no administrative penalties imposed by competent departments such as land, environmental protection, public security, work safety, water conservancy, and forestry.
2. Resource Utilization
1. The development and utilization of mineral resources shall follow scientific norms, with the mining recovery rate, ore dilution rate, and mineral processing recovery rate meeting design requirements and reaching the level of similar mines in the province.
2. The utilization rate of mineral resources shall be high and rational; there shall be no waste of resources, damage to the ecological environment, or environmental damage caused by improper mining. The product structure shall be optimized, and the recycling rate of waste resources shall be high, reaching the advanced level of similar mines.
3. While achieving significant economic benefits, as well as good social and ecological benefits, we will actively promote new energy-saving and new technologies, and new processes. The economic benefits (taxes, fees, profits) generated by mineral resources per ton shall be high, and energy conservation and consumption reduction (with energy consumption indicators meeting standards) shall be achieved, reaching the level of similar mines.
3. Modernization of Mining
1. Mining shall be carried out in strict accordance with the approved mineral resource development and utilization plan; mining (extraction, crushing, grinding, smelting) methods shall be scientific, the process shall be reasonable and orderly, and the technical level of mine mining shall be equivalent to that of similar mines.
2. Technological transformation and the introduction of advanced mining technologies shall be carried out to select construction periods and processes conducive to ecological protection; for open-pit mining, operations shall be carried out in a top-down and hierarchical bench manner, and for underground mining, relevant technical specifications and requirements shall be implemented to achieve mechanized and modernized mining operations.
3. The supporting facilities in the mining area shall be improved to realize dust-free operation in the production process (drilling, blasting, loading, transportation, stacking and discharging, etc.), reduce ore crushing and loss, and greatly reduce land occupation and soil and water loss.
4. Clean Mining Operations
1. Mine construction projects must implement the environmental protection "three simultaneities" system, implement environmental protection measures for the entire life cycle of mine production, select (less) polluted production processes, equipment, raw (auxiliary) materials, and clean energy.
2. The discharge of waste water, waste gas (toxic and harmful gases, dust), and waste residue (waste soil, waste rock, tailings) must be strictly controlled to meet standards, and the reuse of discharged waste and energy shall be carried out; noise pollution and vibration hazards must meet national and provincial requirements.
3. Technological innovation shall be adopted to optimize the production process, ensure the construction of wind and dust suppression facilities in the mining area, transportation area, and processing area, and ensure the construction of water treatment facilities for mine shaft water and domestic water sewage, so as to realize small disturbance, non-toxic and less pollution in the production process.
5. Standardization of Mine Management
1. Mining enterprises must establish a sound organizational structure, clarify division of labor, implement a target responsibility system at all levels, ensure that responsibilities are in place, measures are implemented and put into operation, and earnestly implement mine mining supervision in accordance with relevant requirements.
2. Mining enterprises shall legally establish various management systems, improve rules and regulations, and ensure that various statistical reports, ledgers, and file resources are complete.
3. Production areas and living areas shall be effectively separated; the layout and construction of production areas shall be reasonable, and living auxiliary facilities in living areas shall comply with safety, health, and environmental protection requirements to ensure the safety of the human living environment.
6. Production Safety
1. Mine safety technical and management systems shall be strictly implemented, the production safety responsibility system shall be established, various production safety management regulations and operation procedures shall be established, safety education and production safety skill training shall be conducted, and production personnel must hold certificates to work.
2. The mine enterprise production safety reserve fund system shall be implemented, production expenses shall be withdrawn in full, equipment safety performance shall be guaranteed, automatic alarm devices shall be set up in dangerous areas to prevent occupational diseases, and the implementation of production safety investment shall be ensured.
3. Perfect safety prevention rules and regulations and various types of plans shall be established, an emergency rescue mechanism shall be established, the management of fire equipment shall be strengthened, hidden dangers in production links shall be eliminated in a timely manner, and a long-term production safety mechanism shall be established.
7. Harmonious Mass Relations
1. Mineral development must obtain a "social license", i.e., gain the trust of local communities and residents in the location of the mine, timely inform the community of mine production conditions and existing problems, seek consistency between social and mine interests, and take the initiative to participate in local public welfare undertakings.
2. A plan for consultation with local communities shall be formulated and run through the production process; contact relationships with the community shall be established, mining operations affecting the community shall be adjusted in a timely manner, and joint response shall be made to unexpected accidents and events involving human safety and environmental damage.
3. A complete employee technical training system must be established to improve employees' technical skills, green environmental awareness and overall quality, and create a good corporate culture.
8. Ecologicalization of Mining Area Environment
1. A mine environmental protection and governance plan must be formulated and strictly implemented, with slope restoration (governance) carried out simultaneously with production. The annual investment in mine environmental governance funds shall not be less than 2% of ore sales revenue; the greening coverage rate of production areas, living areas and reclamation areas shall meet the standards.
2. Mine mining shall minimize damage to the ecological environment, shall not cause damage to the landform and landscape visible from main traffic lines and scenic areas, there shall be no hidden dangers and risks of geological disasters, and the governance rate shall be 100%.
3. A complete mine closure plan and subsequent land use and monitoring scheme (plan) must be available; the mine environmental governance rate and land reclamation rate during mining, closure and other stages shall meet the standards, damaged vegetation shall be restored, and coordination with the surrounding environment shall be achieved.
