The State Council Sunday issued a notice calling for nationwide efforts to regulate its mineral resource prospecting.

The notice said China has decided to launch a campaign by the end of 2007 to regulate its mineral resource prospecting and marketing orders to ensure higher production safety and sustainable economic and social development.

According to the notice, massive irregularities and illegalities such as explorations without license and reckless tapping exist in certain areas.

The notice outlines the major work that have to be done from now to the near future in this regard. Every kind of prospecting, especially prospecting of coal, will now be more closely monitored.

Facing serious coal shortages and frequent accidents, China is determined to exploit its coal mine resources more safely and efficiently.

China must find a sustainable way of development with high efficiency, high safety, good economic benefits and less pollution, the notice said.

A joint working group of nine related ministries were set up to monitor the campaign. Officials of local governments were also demanded to form a leading group to implement the task.

(China Daily September 19, 2005)