Regulating mine land reclamation in developing countries: The case of China

Despite being an important economic activity, mining causes substantial damage to the environment worldwide. Effective reclamation is therefore necessary, and if conducted properly, can restore scarred land to its former state, and support additional economic activities post-mining from a sustainable perspective. This paper surveys the policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks in place for mine land reclamation in developing countries where environmental frameworks are generally piecemeal and less efficient, and there is minimal regulatory pressure for reclamation. Using a case study of China, the paper examines possible solutions for facilitating improved mine land reclamation in developing countries.