Inner Mongolia may replace Shanxi to become China's largest coal reserve
26/1/2007 15:34
North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region may replace its neighbor
Shanxi Province as the country's largest coal reserve, an official has
said.
A major geological survey in the region since June 2004 has led to the
discovery of new coalfields which could lift coal reserves by a massive 319
billion tons, said Bai Dun, director of the Inner Mongolia Department of Land
and Resources.
With the new finds, the region's coal reserves might break the
500 billion ton mark, which means it would outrank Shanxi Province, the official
added.
Inner Mongolia currently ranks second in China in terms of coal
reserves with 220 billion tons, nudged out by Shanxi with 250 billion
tons.
The region produced 260 million tons of coal in 2005 and produced even
more last year, though the exact figure is not yet available, Bai said.
It
invested 2.78 billion yuan (US$356 million) last year in geological exploration,
doubling the investment between 2001 and 2005, on 170,000 square kilometers of
land.
The 6.4-billion-ton Baiyanhua coalfield and five big 10-billion-ton
coalfields in Xilin Gol were discovered last year.
Xinhua
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