Regional Coal: China closes thousands of coal mines to stem disasters

China has closed more than 2,400 coal mines that failed to meet safety standards in its latest bid to stem a wave of deadly accidents, Xinhua news agency reported Monday.

The mines were among a total of 12,990 pits that were ordered to suspend production this year to improve safety standards in China's notoriously dangerous coal mining industry, the news agency said.

Any mines that failed to improve safety standards within a certain period of time were shut down, Xinhua said, quoting the State Administration of Coal Mine Work Safety.

China's State Council has taken high-profile steps this year to try to improve safety in the nation's mines, including closing illegal operations and attempting to break the links between local officials and mine operators.

Mine owners would also be ordered to pay a deposit as a "safety guarantee" in case of accidents from January 1, a separate Xinhua report quoted the administration as saying.

The deposit would be used to pay compensation to victims' families in case of accidents, it said.

Mines with an annual production of 30,000 tons or less would be ordered to pay up to one million yuan (US$12,300) and those with an annual production of up to 90,000 tons would have to pay 1.5 million yuan, it said.

Those with higher annual productions are required to pay up to six million yuan.

Many private mine owners flee as soon as fatal accidents occur, leaving grieving families of victims uncompensated.

Earlier this month, a mine disaster in the northern province of Hebei killed at least 91 people -- the latest in a string of accidents in the industry. Another explosion in Heilongjiang province last month killed 171 miners.

China's mines are the world's deadliest with more than 6,000 miners dying in accidents last year, according to government statistics. Labor rights groups say the real figure could be as high as 20,000. (*)