BEIJING, May 31 -- China plans to shut down over 2,000 small-scale coal mines by 2015 in an effort to eliminate outdated capacity and improve work safety, according to the State Administration of Work Safety.

Coal mines in the provinces of Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, as well as Chongqing municipality, will be major targets, the administration said.

It will gradually weed out coal mines with an annual output at or below 90,000 tonnes, and shut down those that do not meet safety standards.

China's mines are among the deadliest in the world, with fatal accidents occurring frequently due to poor safety regulations and a lack of safety awareness.