China's Shanxi sees over half of coal produced by intelligent mining

A staff member works at the production dispatch center of the Huayang No. 2 Coal Mine in Yangquan City, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

TAIYUAN, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's major coal-producing province of Shanxi now has more than 50 percent of its coal production capacity achieved via intelligent mining, said local authorities on Monday.

A total of 30 pilot and demonstration coal mines with green mining practices have been established across the province, according to a press conference held Monday on Shanxi's latest progress in advancing its energy transition.

With nearly 82 percent of its coal production capacity upgraded and recognized as advanced capacity, the province has maintained its lead in coal output nationwide for four consecutive years, said Zhang Xiang, deputy head of the provincial development and reform commission during the press conference.

Over the years, Shanxi has been upgrading its coal industry. In 2023, the province established 118 intelligent coal mines and introduced smart technology to 1,491 mining faces. By 2025, all large-scale and high-risk coal mines in the province are expected to complete intelligent transformations.

In 2023, Shanxi produced over 1.37 billion tonnes of coal, and it has set a production target of about 1.3 billion tonnes for this year.