the top industries are coal mining and extraction, mineral extraction, chemical engineering, sheep and goat herding, and cashmere production. total fossil fuel reserves beneath the ejin horo banner are estimated to be about 27.8 billion tons, which includes coal and natural gas. although coal mining is of paramount importance to the regional economy, the poorly regulated industry has undermined parts of the area so badly that the ground surface has become unstable in places. because of the relentless coal extraction, parts of one village began caving in; the residents were re-located starting in 2008 to a planned community called ulanmulun new village, and has a capacity of 936 families. because of ground instability, coal mines producing less than 300,000 were shut down in 2000; those producing less than 600,000 tons annually were closed in 2007, drastically reducing the total number of mines in the area.