A sight-seeing tram in the National Mine Park of Suichang Gold Ore in Suichang county, Lishui. [Photo/lsnews.com.cn]

The National Mine Park of Suichang Gold Ore is a national 4A-level scenic spot in Suichang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province. The park is surrounded by verdant mountains and clear waters in the middle of summer.

But 40 years ago, the place was a polluted mine full of waste rock and overflowing sewage.

"Targeted measures such as standardized discharges, neutralizing slag pressure filtration, and vegetation restoration have effectively solved the pollution problems. Now, the park is full of greenery and the annual negative oxygen ion content in the air has reached 9,400 per square centimeter," a person in charge of the park explained.

Mining resources are limited, and achieving long-term governance and environmental protection of mining areas has become a concern for local government. In 2007, the mine park officially opened to the public as a tourist attraction, making the mine site an invaluable asset that will never be exhausted.

The park has six major areas: a national mining park monument area, a gold museum, a mining relic protection area, a production technology exhibition area, an ecological protection demonstration area and a comprehensive supporting service area.

Additionally, a dozen scenic spots have been established near the park, which have helped in the development of local agritainment and homestay industries, and solved the employment problems of more than 600 people in nearby towns.