China's State Administration of Coal Mine Safety announced that all coal mines with annual production capacity under 30,000 tons will be closed by the end of 2007.

3,341 coal mine accidents were reported in China last year with a year-on-year decrease rate of 8.2%.

Zhao Tiechui, director of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, made the announcement and said the smaller mines are more vulnerable to accidents.

Xinhua reports that after the coal mine resources integration of smaller facilities with larger ones, the annual coal production capacity for China's major coal firms of Shanxi province, Shaanxi province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region should be no less than 300,000 tons each.

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