Chinese land authorities are planning to develop Ordos Basin into a mining pilot zone to guarantee that the mineral-rich area in North China develops in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

At a national conference on Wednesday, senior officials discussed plans to explore and develop minerals in Ordos Basin, which has about 25 percent of the country's total coal output and 20 percent of total oil and gas output.

As the basin plays an important role in guaranteeing the country's energy supplies, the plan listed 70 key exploration zones and 77 key mining zones in the basin.

As well as the listed mining and exploration zones, an energy production base is also under construction, which will increase energy supplies, according to the plan.

Ordos Basin is the country's second-largest sedimentary basin, with its detected reserves of natural gas and coal at the top of the country's resource list and the oil reserves ranking fourth.