The nearby Sikalima stream is another cause of friction between the Chinese-run mine and the cattle-herding community in the area, who rely on it as a source of drinking water.

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Close friends of mine who run a child play-area encountered the same experience in their expansion-planning.

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With the latest technology, says Cho, the bank can measure the profitability of every branch employee and customer, mine its customer database and run sophisticated risk-management and credit-analysis programs.

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Indeed, it points to such laudable projects such as a low-cost, wind-powered land mine detonator -- not exactly the kind of thing one would pick up on the next Target run (even on sale).

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In 1993, the government allowed private companies to mine for coal but only for captive use, as production from state-run companies was unable to meet domestic demand.

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The Babao mine in the city of Baishan in the north-east of the country is run by the state-owned Tonghua Mining Group.

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