China to close small coal mines

The Chinese government has announced it will shut down all small coal mines by the end of 2007, as it tries to encourage smaller mines to merge with larger, supposedly more safety-conscious ones, state media reported Wednesday.

China is the world’s biggest coal producer and consumer. It also has the world’s deadliest coal mines, with more than 5,000 deaths reported every year in fires, flood and explosions, despite repeated government promises to improve safety.