Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region will continue accelerating its program to eliminate low-productivity coal mining projects, and focus on promoting key up-scale coal mining projects, Xinjiang Coal Industry Bureau said Sunday.
Underground mines with annual production of under 300,000 tons and opencast coal mines with annual capacity of under 1 million tons will be closed by the end of 2015.
Structural adjustment, resource integration and upgrade work saw the number of mines in Xinjiang reduced from 456 in 2005 to 352 at the end of 2011, while the average annual capacity of each mine grew from 65,000 tons to 140,000 tons over the same period.
However, small mines with annual capacity of less than 300,000 tons still account for over 80 percent of the total number of mines in Xinjiang.