Ahead of the 2026 World Earth Day, Chinese natural resources authorities announced a major milestone in the nation’s push for ecologically responsible mineral extraction: more than 5,500 green mines at the provincial level or higher have been completed across the country. The announcement, delivered at a Beijing press conference on Tuesday, underscores how far China has advanced in reorienting its mining sector toward long-term sustainability, moving away from traditional production models that prioritized output over ecological protection.
Dong Qingji, deputy director general of the Department of Mineral Resources Protection and Supervision under the Ministry of Natural Resources, noted that the shift to green mining has evolved from a policy initiative to a shared priority across all key stakeholders. Local government bodies, regulatory agencies, mining operators, and the general public now uniformly recognize the value of integrating environmental stewardship into mineral resource development, Dong said.
A key pillar of this progress is the formal institutional and legal foundation that has been established to embed green mining standards into national governance. Requirements for environmentally responsible mining operations have been formally codified into China’s Mineral Resources Law and Ecological Environment Code, creating clear, enforceable legal obligations for industry players. Beyond legislative backing, a comprehensive cross-sector working framework has also taken shape, combining top-down government guidance, inter-departmental coordination, core responsibility resting with operating enterprises, and public accountability through external oversight. This multi-layered structure is designed to ensure green mining standards are implemented consistently across all regions and project types, laying the groundwork for further expansion of sustainable practices across the entire mining sector.