codes increases the damage and loss of life from earthquakes. China has been the location of some of the most deadly earthquakes in history. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed by magnitude 8.0 earthquakes in 1303 in Hongdong and 1556 in Shaanxi. This Shaanxi earthquake killed about 830,000 people, many dying with the collapses of their underground homes built into loess banks and cliffs. The 20th century saw 273,400 people killed in the 1920 Haiyuan earthquake and a magnitude 8.6 earthquake in 1950, the largest recorded earthquake in China. In 2008 the magnitude 8.0 2008 Sichuan earthquake killed 87,587 people. Earthquake prediction was popular between 1966 and 1976, which overlapped with the Cultural Revolution. This reached its height with the successful prediction of the 1975 Haicheng earthquake. This earthquake had a prominent series of fore-shocks and authorities who were eager to issue a warning. However, very few earthquakes have both these criteria. The unpredictable and devastating Tangshan earthquake in 1976 led to a reduction of the popularity of earthquake prediction in China. Volcanoes All of China's recently active volcanoes have formed within tectonic plates, however, there is extensive arc related volcanism off the eastern coast. Active volcanoes are found in the Changbaishan, Jingbo Lake, Wudalianchi, Tengchong and Yutian areas. The Baitoushan volcano (also called Paektu Mountain), on the border with North Korea) erupted in 946 AD. This was one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. There have been three eruptions in the Baitoushan volcano area in the last 400 years (1668, 1702, and 1903). Ashi volcano of the Kunlun Volcanic Group in northwestern Tibet erupted in 1951 and is China's most recent eruption. Mining and petroleum China has many different types of mineral resources and has global significant reserves of many of them. They are frequently in the global top 10 countries for mineral reserves or production. They produce more than 90% of the global rare earth element ore. Chrysotile (asbestos) is still mined and used extensively in China as a construction material. China's iron ore is mainly found in northeast and southwest of mainland China. China's largest gold mining region is in the northeast of the country. In 2014 China mined more gold than any other country, however, its projected reserves places it between 6th and 10th in the world. There are extensive coal fields throughout China. In the southeast of the country the coal is