Over 10 billion tons of coal resources have been discovered in Shanxi over the past 5 years

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On the 27th, it was learned from the Shanxi Provincial Department of Land and Resources that the province has been carrying out intensive geological exploration efforts in recent years. Over the past 5 years, a total of 10.498 billion tons of new coal resources have been discovered, a figure far exceeding the coal production during the same period, thus providing a significant guarantee for China’s coal supply. Shanxi is a major coal-producing province in China, often referred to as the \"Sea of Coal\". From the founding of the People’s Republic of China to the end of 2014, Shanxi produced a total of 16.27 billion tons of coal, accounting for one-quarter of the country’s total production, while it exported more than 11 billion tons, representing three-quarters of the nation’s total coal exports. It is estimated that the coal-bearing area in Shanxi Province covers 57,000 square kilometers, accounting for 36.3% of the province’s total land area. By the end of 2014, Shanxi had a total proven coal reserve of 294.33 billion tons, with an additional reserve of 268.967 billion tons. These reserves accounted for 17.56% of the country’s total coal reserves, ranking Shanxi third in the country. In 2012, Shanxi Province formulated the \"Implementation Plan for Strategic Actions to Achieve Breakthroughs in Mineral Exploration in Shanxi Province,\" which set the \"358\" goals for geological exploration: significant progress should be made within three years, major breakthroughs achieved within five years, and the landscape of geological and mineral exploration and development restructured within eight years. The Department of Land and Resources of Shanxi Province reported that over the past five years, the province has carried out intensive geological exploration efforts, resulting in the discovery of new reserves of various important mineral resources; among these, the coal reserves increased by 10.498 billion tons. While coal reserves continue to increase, Shanxi’s annual coal production has shown a downward trend. In 2013, Shanxi’s coal production was 960 million tons ； In 2014, Shanxi’s coal production reached a record high of 976 million tons ； In 2015, Shanxi’s coal production dropped to 944 million tons ； In 2016, coal production in Shanxi Province further declined to 832 million tons. In 2017, Shanxi Province’s coal production was approximately 875 million tons, showing a slight increase compared to the previous year, but it remained significantly lower than in earlier years.