Ningxia closed all small coal mines with annual output less than 100,000 tons by the end of 2010. Many of those small mines were in violation of mining regulations. Other small mines upgraded their capacity, collecting coal resources of 4 million tons, according to a mineral resources development and integration briefing in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on April 11.

By integrating the development of mineral resources, Ningxia hopes to streamline the industry and make operations more efficient. Mines granted exploratory licenses were reduced from 76 to 48, and mines with mining licenses were reduced from 694 to 533.