Regulations on the protection of geological environment in mines

Chapter I General provisions

Article 1 These provisions are formulated in accordance with the Mineral Resources Law of the People's Republic of China, the Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Geological Disasters and the Regulations on Land Reclamation for the purpose of protecting the geological environment of mines, reducing the damage to the geological environment caused by the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, protecting the safety of people's lives and property, and promoting the rational development and utilization of mineral resources and the coordinated development of economy, society, resources and environment.

Article 2 These Provisions shall apply to the prevention, treatment and restoration of ground collapse, ground crack, collapse, landslide, aquifer damage and topographic and geomorphic landscape damage caused by mineral resources exploration and exploitation activities in mining areas.

Where the mining of mineral resources involves land reclamation, it shall be implemented in accordance with State laws and regulations on land reclamation.

Article 3 The protection of mining geological environment shall adhere to the principles of giving priority to prevention and combining prevention and control, who develops and who protects, who destroys and who manages, who invests and who benefits.

Article 4 The Ministry of Natural Resources shall be responsible for the protection of the geological environment of mines throughout the country.

The local departments in charge of natural resources at or above the county level shall be responsible for the protection of the geological environment of mines in their respective administrative regions.

Article 5 The State encourages scientific and technological research on geological environment protection in mines, popularizes relevant scientific and technological knowledge, popularizes advanced technologies and methods, formulates relevant technical standards, and raises the scientific and technological level of geological environment protection in mines.

Article 6 The State encourages enterprises, public organizations or individuals to invest in the rehabilitation and restoration of the geological environment of closed or abandoned mines.

Article 7 Any unit or individual shall have the right to report and file charges against illegal acts that damage the geological environment of mines.

Chapter II Planning

Article 8 The Ministry of Natural Resources shall be responsible for the investigation and evaluation of the geological environment of mines throughout the country.

The departments in charge of natural resources of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for the investigation and evaluation of the geological environment of mines within their respective administrative areas.

The municipal and county departments in charge of natural resources shall, according to the actual conditions of their respective regions, carry out the investigation and evaluation of the geological environment of mines in their respective administrative regions.

Article 9 The Ministry of Natural Resources shall, on the basis of the results of the national geological environment survey and evaluation, work out the national geological environment protection plan for mines.

The competent departments of natural resources of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, on the basis of the national plan for the protection of the geological environment of mines and the results of the investigation and evaluation of the geological environment of mines in their respective administrative areas, work out the plans for the protection of the geological environment of mines of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government and submit them to the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government for approval and implementation.

The compilation, examination and approval of plans for geological environment protection in mines at the city and county level shall be formulated by the departments in charge of natural resources of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government.

Article 10 The geological environment protection plan for mines shall include the following contents:

(1) present situation and development trend of mine geological environment;

(2) the guiding ideology, principles and objectives of mine geological environment protection;

(3) the main tasks of mine geological environment protection;

(4) key projects for mine geological environment protection;

(5) Planning and implementing safeguard measures.

Article 11 The planning for geological environmental protection in mines shall conform to the planning for mineral resources and be coordinated with the overall planning for land use and the planning for prevention and control of geological disasters.

Chapter III governance restoration

Article 12 When applying for a mining license, the applicant for mining rights shall prepare a plan for mining geological environment protection and land reclamation and submit it to the competent department of natural resources with approval power for approval.