Ordos city in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has made significant progress in green mine development. A total of 191 mines have been certified as green, accounting for 44 percent of the region's total.

These achievements are supported by a comprehensive policy framework. In 2020, Ordos issued China's first local regulation dedicated to green mine construction and management, strengthening the legal foundation for sustainable mining.

Planning has played a leading role, with successive citywide plans and action programs launched in 2019, 2021, and 2023 to ensure that eligible mines are built or upgraded to green standards.

To secure long-term funding for ecological restoration, Ordos introduced a mine geological environment restoration fund mechanism in 2020. The model was recognized as a national best practice during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20). To date, 46.30 billion yuan ($6.61 billion) has been set aside, with 35.06 billion yuan already invested in restoration projects.

Technical support has also been reinforced through local standards. In 2023, Ordos issued evaluation indicators and operational guidelines for green mine construction, covering both coal and non-coal sectors. This established a dynamic management mechanism featuring standard-based creation, continuous improvement, and regular evaluation.

According to Wang Ruixue, deputy director of the Ordos natural resources bureau, the city restored 274.86 square kilometers of land from open-pit mines and treated 476.31 sq km of subsidence areas during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

It also developed 20 eco-agriculture and livestock projects, 10 mine parks, and 47 photovoltaic power projects, while deploying 1,827 sets of clean-energy mining and transport equipment and building 496 supporting charging and battery-swapping facilities.

Meanwhile, Ordos is accelerating the development of smart underground coal mines by integrating digital and intelligent technologies into green mining. Mines such as Madiliang and Yuxing have rolled out 5G-enabled intelligent mining systems and innovative backfilling technologies, significantly improving resource recovery rates and earning national high-tech enterprise recognition.