China has built more than 5,500 green mines at or above the provincial level, marking substantial progress in the country's effort toward a more sustainable and ecologically friendly model, natural resources officials said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of this year's World Earth Day.

"Building green mines has become a common understanding among local governments, regulators, mining enterprises and the public," said Dong Qingji, deputy director general of the Ministry of Natural Resources' department of mineral resources protection and supervision.

Dong noted that green mining requirements have been written into the Mineral Resources Law and the Ecological Environment Code, providing strong legal backing. A working system featuring government guidance, departmental coordination, enterprise leadership and public supervision is now largely in place.