Commodities
China’s Tougher Coal Mining Rules Could Threaten Supply Again
- Last year saw over 2,000 investigations conducted at mines
- Renewed focus on safety hearkens back to crackdown in 2021
This article is for subscribers only.
Stricter regulation of Chinese coal mines to reduce fatalities could raise the risk of renewed supply disruptions and higher prices in the world’s biggest market for the fuel.
A string of disasters over the last 12 months, including 53 deaths in a landslide at an open-pit mine in Inner Mongolia, has refocused the authorities on accident prevention. More than 2,000 investigations into mine safety were conducted last year. From May 1, the penalties for breaches will include forced closures and fines of up to 20 million yuan ($2.8 million).