Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in northwestern China produced 122 million tonnes of raw coal in the first quarter this year, up by 7.7% from last year, local media Xinjiang Daily reported.

Thanks to supply-side reform, Xinjiang's coal sector has seen concentrated and large-scale growth, establishing two 100 million-tonne-level coal production bases in Zhundong and Hami.

Among China's ten large open-cut mines, four are in Xinjiang, with Nan open-pit mine in Zhundong, operated by Xinjiang Tianchi Energy Co., Ltd., being China's largest opencast coal mine with annual capacity of 40 million-tonnes .

By the end of 2023, Changji Hui autonomous prefecture ranked 4th and Hami city 8th among 13 Chinese cities with coal production at and above the 100-million-tonne level, according to China National Coal Association.

In 2023, Changji prefecture's coal output exceeded 200 million tonnes for the first time, reaching 213 million tonnes, marking a 9.7% increase from the previous year, securing the top spot in Xinjiang.

Hami witnessed a substantial rise in coal production, with output reaching 150 million tonnes in 2023, a significant 22.6% surge compared to the previous year.

Since the start of the 14th "Five-Year Plan" period (2021-25), Xinjiang has expedited the development of large coal bases and incorporated new-generation information technologies into coal mines for enhanced efficiency. Nan open-pit, Ohobrak, and Wudong mines were recognized as China's first batch of intelligent coal mines in 2023.

By the end of 2023, a total of 640 unmanned mining trucks and 26 intelligent drilling rigs were operational across 12 coal mines.

Xinjiang has emerged as a key contributor to China's coal supply. Data showed during the 13th "Five-Year Plan" period (2016-20), Xinjiang delivered 69.39 million tonnes of coal to other provinces and regions.

The outbound shipments had surged in recent years, reaching 43.87 million tonnes in 2021, surpassing 88 million tonnes in 2022, and exceeding 100 million tonnes in 2023.

(Writing by Shengnan Liu  Editing by Harry Huo)
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