2,000

Small coal mines

will be shut down by the end of 2015, China has pledged as it tries to improve safety standards in the deadly industry. The mines targeted will be those that produce less than 90,000 tons annually and fail to adhere to safety rules, and those with substandard coal resources that are prone to accidents, the State Council said in a statement on Saturday.

(China Daily USA 10/14/2013 page3)