China's coal output is expected to reach 2.6 billion tons in 2010, as it continues to be the nation's most important energy resource.

Despite the nation's economic restructure, technological innovation and energy-saving efforts, demand for coal will continue to grow, fueled by the steel and construction materials industries and the emerging coal-chemical sector. Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces and the Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions remain the major sources, and production in these areas should be expanded.

More large-scale coal production bases will be established. The nation will develop six to eight coal-mining groups, with an output of 100 million tons, and 8 to 10 companies with an output of 50 million tons. By the end of the previous five-year plan (2005), there were two firms with an annual output of 100 million tons and three firms with an output of 50 million tons.

The total output of 2.6 billion tons in 2010, 1.45 billion tons is expected to come from large-scale mines, accounting for 56 percent of output; 450 million tons will come from medium-sized mines, or 17 percent of the total; and less than 700 million tons from small mines, or 27 percent.

Source:未知