Introduction
Coal is one of the most important resources in China. China has the world’s largest coal production and reserves. This article will look at the total amount of coal in China, as well as its distribution.
Total Coal Production
In 2017, China’s total coal production reached 3.62 billion tons, which was an increase of 4.9% over the previous year. This marked the 11th consecutive year of growth in coal production. As of the end of 2017, China’s total coal reserves reached 113.19 billion tons, up 1.94% from the end of 2016.
China’s coal production is concentrated in northern and northwestern regions. The main coal producing regions are the three Northeastern provinces (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning), with a coal production of 810.7 million tons in 2017, accounting for 22.44% of the total coal production in China. Other major coal producing regions include Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Xinjiang and Shaanxi, accounting for 17.59%, 16.17%, 13.88%, 13.00% and 8.18% of total output, respectively.
Distribution of Coal Reserves
China’s coal reserves are mainly distributed in the northern and northwestern regions, as well as parts of central and southwestern China. As of the end of 2017, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi had the largest coal reserves, with a combined total of 41.21 billion tons, accounting for 36.30% of China’s total coal reserves. Other major coal regions include Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, and Shaanxi, with a combined total of 24.64 billion tons, accounting for 21.76% of China’s total.
The distribution of coal reserves varies by region. In northern and northwestern regions, the coal reserves are mainly distributed in several major basins. These include the North China Basin in Hebei and Shanxi, the Yinshan-Qingyuan Coalfield in Inner Mongolia, and the Ordos Basin in Ningxia, Shaanxi and Shanxi. In central and southern China, many of the coal reserves are located in the Yangtze River Basin and its tributary basins.
Conclusion
In summary, the total amount of coal in China is 113.19 billion tons, with the main coal production regions in the three Northeastern provinces and major coal reserves in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi. The distribution of China’s coal reserves varies by region, with the coal reserves in northern and northwestern regions mainly distributed in several major basins and coal reserves in central and southern China are located in the Yangtze River Basin.
