Recently, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Economy and Information Technology, the Department of Ecology and Environment, and the Department of Emergency Management of Zhejiang Province jointly issued a plan to launch a three-year initiative aimed at leveraging digital and intelligent technologies to enhance the quality and efficiency of green mines across the province. Over the next three years, the plan seeks to achieve green mine certification rates of no less than 95%, 85%, and 50% respectively for large, medium, and small mines; to cumulatively establish at least 60 smart, green mines; and to create a group of benchmark modern mining enterprises.

The plan outlines five key tasks:

Comprehensively deepen the construction of green mines. For newly built, expanded, or renovated mines—as well as existing operating and resumed mines—whose remaining mineable reserves have a lifespan of more than one year, green mine construction shall be fully implemented in accordance with the relevant requirements. Existing national-, provincial-, and municipal-level green mines shall undergo comprehensive quality improvements by aligning themselves with the new provincial-level green mine evaluation criteria. Mines that are not yet included in the scope of mandatory green mine construction shall strengthen management in areas such as mine appearance and landscaping, remediation and reforestation, and the discharge of “three wastes,” following the requirements for green mine construction.

Strengthen the dynamic management of green mines in a comprehensive manner. Strictly control the third-party assessment and inclusion process for green mines, establish a reserve pool system for green mines, and include mines that have not yet met the provincial-level standards for green mine inclusion into the reserve pool, formulating construction plans on a yearly basis. Optimize and improve the application scenarios of “Smart Green Mines,” enabling multi-level, multi-department online joint reviews and dynamic management.

Fully promote the construction of intelligent and green mines. Building on the standards for green mine development, guide large-scale mines with actual mineable lifespans of more than five years to embark on the construction of intelligent green mines; other mines are encouraged to explore the development of basic digital mines. Gradually integrate mine sensing devices into “Green Mine Smart Application” scenarios, and advance remote monitoring and online supervision.

Strengthen technological innovation and its promotion and application. Summarize and disseminate advanced experiences and technical approaches in digitalization, intelligentization, and green development. Encourage mining enterprises to increase their investment in science and technology, actively develop new technologies, new equipment, and new products, continuously improve the “three rates” of mines, and support the application for high-tech enterprise status by intelligent and green mines. Improve and refine the incentive and constraint mechanisms. Establish a source-based management mechanism, incorporating requirements for green mines, intelligent green mines, and basic digital mines into mining rights transfer contracts, thereby strengthening contractual constraints.