Journal of Geographical Sciences >
Identification and classification of resource-based cities in China
Yu Jianhui (1983-), PhD and Associate Professor, specialized in resource-based cities development studies. E-mail: yujh@igsnrr.ac.cn |
Received date: 2018-09-17
Accepted date: 2018-12-20
Online published: 2019-12-13
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41671166)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41701128)
Copyright
Resource-dependent cities are cities whose economic development depends on the exploitation and processing of natural resources. Their transformation and sustainable development are an important area of research on regional industrial development, regional economy and urban development. Since the Chinese government launched a pilot project to transform resource-dependent cities, starting with Fuxin in Liaoning Province in 2001, accurately identifying and classifying China’s resource-dependent cities has become a focus of geographical research. Based on previous studies, this paper uses the theory and methods of urban function classification to analyze indicators and threshold values for identifying and classifying resource-dependent cities. It has thus identified 262 cities as being resource-dependent. Looking at the development levels, problems, characteristics and developmental direction of such cities, this paper attempts to establish a comprehensive analytical framework using the two evaluation indicators of resource security and sustainable development. It also creates a model to classify the 262 cities identified as resource-dependent cities into four types: growing cities, mature cities, declining cities and regenerating cities. The different connotations and characteristics of the city types were then analyzed. The results of this research support the delineation of scopes and categories of resource-dependent cities set out in the National Sustainable Development Plan for Resource-Dependent Cities published by the State Council, and they serve as a foundation for formulating policies on planning, classification and guidance.
Key words: resource-dependent cities; identification; classification
YU Jianhui , LI Jiaming , ZHANG Wenzhong . Identification and classification of resource-based cities in China[J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2019 , 29(8) : 1300 -1314 . DOI: 10.1007/s11442-019-1660-8
Figure 1 Identification and classification framework for resource-dependent cities |
Figure 2 Intensity of extractive industry employment in China |
Figure 3 Resource output coefficients of cities in China |
Table 1 China’s historically significant mines and their cities |
City | Mine and year extraction began | City | Mine and year extraction began |
---|---|---|---|
Hegang | Hegang Coal Mine (1917) | Datong | Datong Coal Mine (1907) |
Jixi | Jixi Coal Mine (1925) | Tangshan | Kailuan Coal Mine (1881) |
Liaoyuan | Xi’an Coal Mine (1912) | Hebi | Hebi Coal Mine (1912) |
Anshan | Qidashan Iron Mine (1918) | Jiaozuo | Jiaozuo Coal Mine (1898) |
Benxi | Benxihu Iron Mine (1904) | Yima* | Yima Coal Mine (1919) |
Fushun | Fushun Coal Mine (1901) | Zaozhuang | Zaozhuang Coal Mine (1818) |
Fuxin | Fuxin Coal Mine (1936) | Huainan | Huainan Coal Mine (1911) |
Beipiao* | Beipiao Coal Mine (1921) | Pingxiang | Pingxiang Coal Mine (1898) |
Ruichang | Tongling Copper Mine (Shang Dynasty) | Zigong | salt mining (Ming Dynasty) |
Hancheng* | Hancheng Coal Mine (1931) | Yumen* | Yumen Oilfield (1939) |
Shizuishan | Shizuishan Coal Mine (1949) | Gejiu * | Gejiu Tin Mine (1886) |
Lengshuijiang* | Xikuangshan Antimony and Coal Mine (1860) | Jingdezhen | Yetao (1,800+ years) |
Tongling | Tongguanshan Copper Mine (Shang Dynasty) | Daye | Daye Iron Mine (1890) |
Tongren | Wanshan Mercury Mine (Tang Dynasty) | Heshan* | Heshan Coal Mine (1919) |
Note: * indicates a county-level city. The rest are prefecture-level cities. |
Table 2 List of places with significant mineral resource reserves |
Place | Resource type | Location of reserves | Place | Resource type | Location of reserves | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Global significance | National significance | Global significance | National significance | ||||
Ningwu County | Bauxite | √ | Yingcheng City | Gypsum | √ | ||
Yuanqu County | Copper | √ | Chenzhou City | Tungsten, Bismuth, Molybdenum, Tin, Zinc | √ | ||
Baotou City | Rare earth | √ | Changning City | Lead, Zinc, Tin, Boron, Wollastonite | √ | ||
Xilinhot City | Germanium | √ | Hechi City | Indium | √ | ||
Anshan City | Iron | √ | Pinggui District | Calcium | √ | ||
Yangjiazhangzi District | Molybdenum | √ | Cenxi City | Granite | √ | ||
Xiuyan Manchu Autonomous County | Magnestite, Jade | √ | Changjiang County | Iron ore | √ | ||
Kuandian County | Boron | √ | Ya’an City | Asbestos | √ | ||
Haicheng City | Talc | √ | Mianzhu City | Phosphorus | √ | ||
Fengcheng City | Boron, Andalusite | √ | Kaiyang County | Phosphorus | √ | ||
Linjiang City | Diatomite, Dolomite | √ | Qingzhen City | Bauxite | √ | ||
Daxinganling Region | Lumber | √ | Lanping County | Lead-zinc ore | √ | ||
Xunke County | Pearlite | √ | Maguan County | Indium, Tin | √ | ||
Longyan Iron | Iron, Copper, Kaolinite | √ | Qusong County | Chromium | √ | ||
Nanping City | Niobium-tantalum | √ | Weinan City | Molybdenum, Lead, Copper, Niobium, Selenium, Iron, Bauxite, Rhenium | √ | ||
Ganzhou City | Tungsten | √ | Tongguan County | Gold | √ | ||
Dexing City | Copper | √ | Golmud City | Potassium, Magnesium, Lithium, Boron, Bromine, Iodine, Rubidium | √ | ||
Pingdu City | Graphite | √ | Fuyun County | Non-ferrous metal | √ | ||
Xingtai City | Kyanite | √ | Ruoqiang County | Potassium Chloride | √ | ||
Luanchuan County | Molybdenum, Tungsten | √ | Hami City | Nickel, Copper | √ | ||
Zhongxiang City | Phosphorus | √ |
Note: Globally or nationally significant means top-five reserves in the world or in China. |
Figure 4 Distribution of resource-dependent cities |
Figure 5 Two-dimensional combinations of the 262 resource-dependent cities |
Table 3 Administrative status of resource-dependent cities |
City category | Pref-level city | County-level city | County | Municipal district | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Ratio | No. | Ratio | No. | Ratio | No. | Ratio | |
Growing | 20 | 15.6% | 7 | 11.3% | 4 | 6.9% | 0 | 0.0% |
Mature | 66 | 51.6% | 29 | 46.8% | 46 | 79.3% | 0 | 0.0% |
Declining | 26 | 20.3% | 22 | 35.5% | 5 | 8.6% | 14 | 100.0% |
Regenerating | 16 | 12.5% | 4 | 6.5% | 3 | 5.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
Total | 128 | 100.0% | 62 | 100.0% | 58 | 100.0% | 14 | 100.0% |
Figure 6 Distribution of the four categories of resource-dependent cities |
Table 4 Characteristics, problems and transformations of the four categories of resource-dependent cities |
City category | Main characteristics | Main problems | Transformations |
---|---|---|---|
Growing | Large reserves, large-scale exploitation, rapid economic growth | Unregulated resource extraction and unbalanced economic development | Regulating extraction, managing development, expanding resource industry chain |
Mature | Large, stable resource exploitation, mature system of resource extraction, transportation and processing | Severe environmental damage and multiple conflicts over distribution of benefits from resource exploitation | Greater environmental governance and increased social undertakings |
Declining | Resources reaching depletion and weak internal drivers of development | Deteriorating living conditions for miners and high unemployment, plagued by historical legacies such as slums, social security debt and geological disasters | Stimulating re-employment, transforming slums, supporting social security, recovery and treatment of mining areas |
Regenerating | Vast majority of mining activities have ceased and development no longer dependent on resources | Limited innovative development and incomplete development of urban functions | Improving quality of economic development, increased levels of openness and innovation, improved urban functions |
Table 5 Comparison of indicators for four categories of resource-dependent cities |
Type | Indicator | Growing | Mature | Declining | Regenerating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General | Average GDP (100 million yuan) | 1402 | 1313 | 844 | 2590 |
Public financial pressure coefficient | 2.58 | 2.58 | 2.44 | 1.76 | |
Average distance to the nearest provincial capital (km) | 233 | 171 | 184 | 199 | |
Industrial | Management function specialization coefficient | 0.55 | 0.61 | 0.38 | 0.64 |
Mining and manufacturing ratio | 1.71 | 0.86 | 1.23 | 0.34 | |
Diversity coefficient | 3.00 | 3.82 | 4.10 | 5.83 | |
Industrial agglomeration | 32.76% | 38.05% | 54.24% | 49.44% | |
Social | Average per capita road area (m2) | 9.92 | 12.17 | 11.79 | 12.74 |
Logistical connectivity | 7.05 | 16.30 | 10.54 | 8.40 | |
Environmental | Sulfur dioxide emissions (tons/100 million yuan) | 45.4 | 41.3 | 51.3 | 32.6 |
Industrial wastewater discharge (tons/100 million yuan) | 2.42 | 3.69 | 4.71 | 2.70 |
Data source: China City Statistical Yearbook 2016 |
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