Authorities to restore ecology at former mines in Yunnan

Authorities in southwest China's Yunnan Province will begin restoring the ecology at 442 former mines.

The provincial government plans to have no deserted mines in the open air along the Yunnan section of the Yangtze River, China's longest, by 2020.

The project will cover seven prefectures and cities in Yunnan, over a total area of 1,658 hectares, according to the provincial department of natural resources.

Plants local to Yunnan will be favored in ecological restoration at the former mining areas, said Zhao Qiaogui, deputy head of the department.

A supervising platform will be established to oversee the restoration work, according to Zhao.

"The restoration work is a hugely difficult task," Zhao said. "I hope the project will offer references for future ecological restoration in the province."

Editor: John Li