After two coal mine accidents killed more than 60 people this year, China is drafting revisions to its mining safety law, reported Reuters.

In August, a gas explosion in northwestern Shaanxi province resulted in 11 fatalities, while in February a mine collapse in northern China's Inner Mongolia region resulted in 53 deaths.

Xue Jianguang, a director at the State Administration of Mine Safety, said the safety law has some “prominent problems” and the revision will be “comprehensive.” He did not disclose further details of the planned changes to the law, which was implemented in 1993 and last revised in 2009.

Reuters noted that the country has also prohibited the construction of new coal mines with complex geology and capacity below 900,000 metric tons per year in an attempt to curb the number of fatal mine accidents. Smaller operations tend to be considered high risk. Additionally, China is promoting greater use of machines and automated monitoring facilities to improve safety and reduce casualties.

Source: Reuters