China to reduce number of small coal mines

HEILONGJIANG, China, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- China will shut half of its small coalmines over the next three years after a recent deadly explosion and years of pollution.

The official Xinhua news agency reports that 10,000 of the country's 24,000 mines will stay open.

The head of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety Supervision, Zhao Tiechui, said Saturday 4,000 mines would be closed each year over the next three years.

Zhao said the closings won't affect the demand for coal but would reduce the pollution level and other safety hazards created by the mines.

Zhao made the announcement at a mine in Heilongjiang where 169 miners were killed in a Nov. 27 explosion.