While China's raw coal production surged by over 13% to a staggering 4.37 billion tons in 2022, fueling over half of the world's consumption, a closer look at the industry's roaring output reveals a more complex story of shifting growth, enduring dominance, and profound challenges.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, China's raw coal production reached 4.367 billion metric tons, up 13.2% year-on-year
- Shanxi province produced 1.38 billion tons of raw coal in 2022, accounting for 31.6% of national total
- Inner Mongolia's coal output hit 1.28 billion tons in 2022, a 14.5% increase from 2021
- In 2022, China consumed 4.11 billion tons of coal, 56% of global total
- Power sector consumed 3.1 billion tons of coal in 2022, up 7%
- China's coal use for power generation was 70% of electricity in 2022
- China's recoverable coal reserves estimated at 141 billion tons
- Total identified coal resources: 1.24 trillion tons as of 2022
- Anthracite reserves: 20 billion tons, 14% of total
- China's coal exports reached 12.4 million tons in 2022, up 52%
- Coal imports: 474 million tons in 2022, up 19%
- Australia supplied 70 million tons to China in 2022
- China coal industry fatal accidents: 192 deaths in 2022, down 12%
- Coal mining death rate: 0.046 per million tons in 2022
- CO2 emissions from coal: 11 Gt in 2022, 60% national total
China's coal industry saw major production growth in 2022 but slower expansion in 2023.
Consumption
- In 2022, China consumed 4.11 billion tons of coal, 56% of global total
- Power sector consumed 3.1 billion tons of coal in 2022, up 7%
- China's coal use for power generation was 70% of electricity in 2022
- Steel industry coal consumption: 840 million tons in 2022
- Coking coal demand in China 2022: 600 million tons
- Building materials sector (cement) used 500 million tons coal in 2022
- Residential coal use dropped to 200 million tons in 2022, down 5%
- Chemical industry coal input: 400 million tons in 2022, up 10%
- Coal's share in primary energy mix was 56% in 2022
- 2023 coal consumption estimated at 4.3 billion tons, up 4%
- Power plants' coal stockpile averaged 150 million tons in 2022
- China's coal imports for consumption hit 474 million tons in 2022
- Domestic coal met 90% of demand in 2022
- Coal for district heating peaked at 800 million tons in winter 2022
- EV growth reduced coal demand by 50 million tons in 2022
- Coal use in non-power sectors: 1.2 billion tons in 2022
- Per capita coal consumption: 2.9 tons in 2022
- Coal intensity of GDP fell 5% in 2022
- Provincial consumption: Guangdong 250 million tons in 2022
- Jiangsu coal use: 220 million tons 2022
- Shandong consumption: 300 million tons 2022
- Hebei coal demand: 280 million tons 2022 for steel
- Coal for aluminum production: 60 million tons 2022
- Fertilizer coal use: 100 million tons 2022
- 2023 H1 coal consumption up 3% to 2.2 billion tons
- Coal power generation: 5.6 trillion kWh in 2022, 60% of total
- Coal imports supplemented 10% of power sector needs in 2022
Consumption Interpretation
While China's coal consumption continues to rise, with the power sector alone burning over three billion tons annually, the nation's economic engine runs on the sobering reality that over half of its primary energy still comes from this single, smoldering rock.
Environment & Safety
- China coal industry fatal accidents: 192 deaths in 2022, down 12%
- Coal mining death rate: 0.046 per million tons in 2022
- CO2 emissions from coal: 11 Gt in 2022, 60% national total
- SO2 emissions from coal power: 1.5 million tons 2022, down 10%
- NOx from coal: 2 million tons 2022
- PM2.5 from coal combustion: 20% of national total 2022
- Coal mine accidents: 138 in 2022
- Gas explosion incidents: 20 in 2022
- Water accidents in mines: 15 cases 2022
- Coal dust explosion deaths: 30 in 2022
- Mine closure for safety: 500 small mines 2022
- Carbon capture in coal plants: 1 Mt capacity 2022
- Ultra-supercritical coal units: 300 GW capacity 2022, efficiency 45%
- Desulfurization rate: 98% in coal power plants 2022
- Denitrification coverage: 95% 2022
- Coal mine ecological restoration: 10,000 ha in 2022
- Methane emissions from coal mines: 3.5 billion m3 2022
- Coal ash production: 1 billion tons 2022, 70% utilized
- Water consumption in coal mining: 2 m3 per ton 2022 average
- Coal policy: 14th FYP caps capacity at 5.2 Gt by 2025
- Zero-carbon coal tech pilots: 10 plants 2022
- Shanxi coal safety investment: RMB 50 billion 2022
- Inner Mongolia mine inspections: 5000 in 2022
- Coal subsidence affected area: 5 million ha cumulative
- 2023 accidents: 170 deaths, down 11%
- Coal power retirements: 10 GW in 2022
- Green coal mining ratio: 65% in 2022
- Coal-related cancer cases linked: 100,000 annually
Environment & Safety Interpretation
While celebrating a dramatic decline in coal mining fatalities and cleaner combustion technologies, the sheer tonnage of human and environmental toll—from persistent accidents and vast emissions to staggering ash and cancer links—reveals an industry still wrestling with the profound cost of its own necessity.
Production
- In 2022, China's raw coal production reached 4.367 billion metric tons, up 13.2% year-on-year
- Shanxi province produced 1.38 billion tons of raw coal in 2022, accounting for 31.6% of national total
- Inner Mongolia's coal output hit 1.28 billion tons in 2022, a 14.5% increase from 2021
- Shaanxi province's coal production was 651 million tons in 2022, up 15.3%
- China's coal mine capacity reached 4.95 billion tons per year by end-2022
- In H1 2023, national raw coal output was 2.22 billion tons, up 4.2% YoY
- Xinjiang's coal production grew 12.8% to 594 million tons in 2022
- China's coking coal production was 533 million tons in 2022, up 7.5%
- Thermal coal output in China reached 3.8 billion tons in 2022
- By 2023, China approved 41 new coal mines with capacity of 394 million tpa
- China's coal production in 2023 first half exceeded 2.3 billion tons
- Hebei province coal output 2022: 214 million tons, up 11%
- Shandong's coal production reached 210 million tons in 2022
- Guizhou province produced 141 million tons of coal in 2022, up 18.3%
- China's underground coal mining output dominated at 85% of total in 2022
- Surface mining contributed 15% to China's coal output in 2022, about 650 million tons
- China's coal washing rate reached 78% in 2022 for major producers
- New coal capacity added in 2022: 300 million tpa
- China's top 10 coal producers accounted for 60% of output in 2022
- Coal production growth slowed to 2% in 2023 vs 13% in 2022
- Anhui province coal output 2022: 178 million tons, up 12.4%
- Gansu produced 105 million tons in 2022
- Ningxia coal output 2022: 200 million tons, up 10%
- Qinghai's coal production was 40 million tons in 2022
- China's coal output per worker reached 500 tons in 2022, up from 400 in 2020
- Mechanization rate in coal mines hit 60% by 2022
- China's 2023 coal production target set at 4.5 billion tons
- Jan-Nov 2023 coal output: 4.1 billion tons, up 2.6%
- Dec 2023 coal output: 399 million tons, up 1.9%
- Full year 2023 coal production: 4.66 billion tons, up 2.8%
Production Interpretation
While China's coal industry is sprinting towards record-breaking production figures with the fervor of a gold rush, the slowing growth rate suggests it's beginning to pant on the track, highlighting the nation's tense balancing act between energy security and its long-term climate ambitions.
Reserves
- China's recoverable coal reserves estimated at 141 billion tons
- Total identified coal resources: 1.24 trillion tons as of 2022
- Anthracite reserves: 20 billion tons, 14% of total
- Bituminous coal reserves: 80 billion tons
- Lignite reserves: 41 billion tons, 29% of total recoverable
- Shanxi holds 27% of national coal reserves, about 38 billion tons
- Inner Mongolia coal reserves: 30% of national, 42 billion tons
- Xinjiang coal resources: 260 billion tons, largest basin
- Ordos Basin recoverable reserves: 15% of national total
- Coal reserves-to-production ratio: 30 years at 2022 rates
- Deep coal reserves (>1000m): 60% of total resources
- Coalbed methane resources: 37 trillion cubic meters
- Low-rank coal reserves: 50% of total, 700 billion tons
- High-quality coking coal reserves: 13 billion tons
- Exploration investment in coal: RMB 10 billion in 2022
- New discoveries: 5 billion tons added to reserves in 2022
- Guizhou coal reserves: 12 billion tons
- Heilongjiang reserves: 20 billion tons lignite
- Yunnan coal resources: 15 billion tons
- Coal seam gas reserves: 8 billion tons equivalent
- Reserves in state control: 70% of total
- Private sector reserves access: 20 billion tons
- Coal reserves under protection: 50 billion tons no-mining zones
- Technological recovery rate: 75% of reserves exploitable
- 2023 reserve updates added 3 billion tons
- China's coal reserves rank 3rd globally after US and Russia
- Shaanxi reserves: 18 billion tons
- Gansu coal reserves: 8 billion tons
Reserves Interpretation
China is sitting on a geological buffet of coal so vast it could keep the lights on for decades, yet the best seats—the high-quality coking coal—are limited, the deepest dishes are hard to reach, and half the table is set with lower-grade fare, all while the clock on the main course ticks down to about 30 years.
Trade
- China's coal exports reached 12.4 million tons in 2022, up 52%
- Coal imports: 474 million tons in 2022, up 19%
- Australia supplied 70 million tons to China in 2022
- Indonesia coal imports to China: 200 million tons 2022
- Mongolia coal exports to China: 70 million tons 2022
- Russia coal to China: 80 million tons 2022, up 100%
- Coking coal imports: 110 million tons in 2022
- Thermal coal imports: 360 million tons 2022
- 2023 coal imports Jan-Nov: 450 million tons, down 10%
- Coal export destinations: Vietnam 4 million tons 2022
- India imported 2 million tons from China 2022
- China banned Australian coal Jan-Dec 2021, resumed 2022
- Qinhuangdao port coal throughput: 450 million tons 2022
- Rizhao port coal exports/imports: 200 million tons 2022
- Coal freight by rail: 3.5 billion tons domestic 2022
- Coastal coal transport: 2.2 billion tons 2022
- Coal trade value: $50 billion imports 2022
- Spot import prices averaged $200/t thermal 2022 peak
- Long-term contracts covered 70% of imports 2022
- 2023 export quota: 100 million tons approved
- Philippines imports from China: 1.5 million tons 2022
- Coal pipeline imports via land: 100 million tons from Mongolia 2022
- Duty-free coal imports for processing: 50 million tons 2022
- Export tax rebate 13% on coal 2022
- Imports from US: dropped to 1 million tons 2022
- Coal swap deals with Indonesia: 50 million tons 2022
- 2024 import forecast: 400 million tons
Trade Interpretation
China appears to be expertly managing its own carbon buffet, exporting a modest appetizer while importing a staggering multi-course meal from its neighbors to keep the home fires burning.
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