Swift action is being taken by the central government to close life-threatening small coal mines due to the worsening safety equipment and inferior mining techniques.
Huang Yi, spokesman for the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety Supervision, said for most of these mines, ventilation is inadequate and they are prone to gas explosions.
He made the remarks in the wake of four such gas explosions that occurred this month, killing 58 workers in four coal mines in north China's Shanxi Province; 14 are still missing.
"The rescue effort for the 14 workers in Daquanwan Mine of Datong is likely to be fruitless," said Huang.
A work team has been sent to investigate the causes of the string of accidents, and another team will be sent to the Shanxi Province to see if local governments have effectively implemented the central government's policy of closing small mines.
Official statistics indicated, during the first 10 months of the year, 11,882 such mines were closed down.
Sources with the State Economic and Trade Commission said that commission has planned projects involving 540 million yuan (US$65 million) to improve safety in more than 80 key coal mines nationwide.
(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2001)
