China consumed 4.11 billion tons of coal in 2022, accounting for 56% of the global total. Production reached 4.37 billion tons that same year. This data outlines the scale and structure of the world's largest coal market.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, China consumed 4.11 billion tons of coal, 56% of global total
- China coal industry fatal accidents: 192 deaths in 2022, down 12%
- In 2022, China's raw coal production reached 4.367 billion metric tons, up 13.2% year-on-year
- China's recoverable coal reserves estimated at 141 billion tons
- China's coal exports reached 12.4 million tons in 2022, up 52%
China Coal Industry statistics show stronger output and steady demand, sustaining market confidence throughout the year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption27 stats
01
In 2022, China consumed 4.11 billion tons of coal, 56% of global total
02
Power sector consumed 3.1 billion tons of coal in 2022, up 7%
03
China's coal use for power generation was 70% of electricity in 2022
04
Steel industry coal consumption: 840 million tons in 2022
05
Coking coal demand in China 2022: 600 million tons
06
Building materials sector (cement) used 500 million tons coal in 2022
07
Residential coal use dropped to 200 million tons in 2022, down 5%
08
Chemical industry coal input: 400 million tons in 2022, up 10%
09
Coal's share in primary energy mix was 56% in 2022
10
2023 coal consumption estimated at 4.3 billion tons, up 4%
11
Power plants' coal stockpile averaged 150 million tons in 2022
12
China's coal imports for consumption hit 474 million tons in 2022
13
Domestic coal met 90% of demand in 2022
14
Coal for district heating peaked at 800 million tons in winter 2022
15
EV growth reduced coal demand by 50 million tons in 2022
16
Coal use in non-power sectors: 1.2 billion tons in 2022
17
Per capita coal consumption: 2.9 tons in 2022
18
Coal intensity of GDP fell 5% in 2022
19
Provincial consumption: Guangdong 250 million tons in 2022
20
Jiangsu coal use: 220 million tons 2022
21
Shandong consumption: 300 million tons 2022
22
Hebei coal demand: 280 million tons 2022 for steel
23
Coal for aluminum production: 60 million tons 2022
24
Fertilizer coal use: 100 million tons 2022
25
2023 H1 coal consumption up 3% to 2.2 billion tons
26
Coal power generation: 5.6 trillion kWh in 2022, 60% of total
27
Coal imports supplemented 10% of power sector needs in 2022
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Environment & Safety28 stats
01
China coal industry fatal accidents: 192 deaths in 2022, down 12%
02
Coal mining death rate: 0.046 per million tons in 2022
03
CO2 emissions from coal: 11 Gt in 2022, 60% national total
04
SO2 emissions from coal power: 1.5 million tons 2022, down 10%
05
NOx from coal: 2 million tons 2022
06
PM2.5 from coal combustion: 20% of national total 2022
07
Coal mine accidents: 138 in 2022
08
Gas explosion incidents: 20 in 2022
09
Water accidents in mines: 15 cases 2022
10
Coal dust explosion deaths: 30 in 2022
11
Mine closure for safety: 500 small mines 2022
12
Carbon capture in coal plants: 1 Mt capacity 2022
13
Ultra-supercritical coal units: 300 GW capacity 2022, efficiency 45%
14
Desulfurization rate: 98% in coal power plants 2022
15
Denitrification coverage: 95% 2022
16
Coal mine ecological restoration: 10,000 ha in 2022
17
Methane emissions from coal mines: 3.5 billion m3 2022
18
Coal ash production: 1 billion tons 2022, 70% utilized
19
Water consumption in coal mining: 2 m3 per ton 2022 average
20
Coal policy: 14th FYP caps capacity at 5.2 Gt by 2025
21
Zero-carbon coal tech pilots: 10 plants 2022
22
Shanxi coal safety investment: RMB 50 billion 2022
23
Inner Mongolia mine inspections: 5000 in 2022
24
Coal subsidence affected area: 5 million ha cumulative
25
2023 accidents: 170 deaths, down 11%
26
Coal power retirements: 10 GW in 2022
27
Green coal mining ratio: 65% in 2022
28
Coal-related cancer cases linked: 100,000 annually
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Production30 stats
01
In 2022, China's raw coal production reached 4.367 billion metric tons, up 13.2% year-on-year
02
Shanxi province produced 1.38 billion tons of raw coal in 2022, accounting for 31.6% of national total
03
Inner Mongolia's coal output hit 1.28 billion tons in 2022, a 14.5% increase from 2021
04
Shaanxi province's coal production was 651 million tons in 2022, up 15.3%
05
China's coal mine capacity reached 4.95 billion tons per year by end-2022
06
In H1 2023, national raw coal output was 2.22 billion tons, up 4.2% YoY
07
Xinjiang's coal production grew 12.8% to 594 million tons in 2022
08
China's coking coal production was 533 million tons in 2022, up 7.5%
09
Thermal coal output in China reached 3.8 billion tons in 2022
10
By 2023, China approved 41 new coal mines with capacity of 394 million tpa
11
China's coal production in 2023 first half exceeded 2.3 billion tons
12
Hebei province coal output 2022: 214 million tons, up 11%
13
Shandong's coal production reached 210 million tons in 2022
14
Guizhou province produced 141 million tons of coal in 2022, up 18.3%
15
China's underground coal mining output dominated at 85% of total in 2022
16
Surface mining contributed 15% to China's coal output in 2022, about 650 million tons
17
China's coal washing rate reached 78% in 2022 for major producers
18
New coal capacity added in 2022: 300 million tpa
19
China's top 10 coal producers accounted for 60% of output in 2022
20
Coal production growth slowed to 2% in 2023 vs 13% in 2022
21
Anhui province coal output 2022: 178 million tons, up 12.4%
22
Gansu produced 105 million tons in 2022
23
Ningxia coal output 2022: 200 million tons, up 10%
24
Qinghai's coal production was 40 million tons in 2022
25
China's coal output per worker reached 500 tons in 2022, up from 400 in 2020
26
Mechanization rate in coal mines hit 60% by 2022
27
China's 2023 coal production target set at 4.5 billion tons
28
Jan-Nov 2023 coal output: 4.1 billion tons, up 2.6%
29
Dec 2023 coal output: 399 million tons, up 1.9%
30
Full year 2023 coal production: 4.66 billion tons, up 2.8%
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Reserves28 stats
01
China's recoverable coal reserves estimated at 141 billion tons
02
Total identified coal resources: 1.24 trillion tons as of 2022
03
Anthracite reserves: 20 billion tons, 14% of total
04
Bituminous coal reserves: 80 billion tons
05
Lignite reserves: 41 billion tons, 29% of total recoverable
06
Shanxi holds 27% of national coal reserves, about 38 billion tons
07
Inner Mongolia coal reserves: 30% of national, 42 billion tons
08
Xinjiang coal resources: 260 billion tons, largest basin
09
Ordos Basin recoverable reserves: 15% of national total
10
Coal reserves-to-production ratio: 30 years at 2022 rates
11
Deep coal reserves (>1000m): 60% of total resources
12
Coalbed methane resources: 37 trillion cubic meters
13
Low-rank coal reserves: 50% of total, 700 billion tons
14
High-quality coking coal reserves: 13 billion tons
15
Exploration investment in coal: RMB 10 billion in 2022
16
New discoveries: 5 billion tons added to reserves in 2022
17
Guizhou coal reserves: 12 billion tons
18
Heilongjiang reserves: 20 billion tons lignite
19
Yunnan coal resources: 15 billion tons
20
Coal seam gas reserves: 8 billion tons equivalent
21
Reserves in state control: 70% of total
22
Private sector reserves access: 20 billion tons
23
Coal reserves under protection: 50 billion tons no-mining zones
24
Technological recovery rate: 75% of reserves exploitable
25
2023 reserve updates added 3 billion tons
26
China's coal reserves rank 3rd globally after US and Russia
27
Shaanxi reserves: 18 billion tons
28
Gansu coal reserves: 8 billion tons
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Trade27 stats
01
China's coal exports reached 12.4 million tons in 2022, up 52%
02
Coal imports: 474 million tons in 2022, up 19%
03
Australia supplied 70 million tons to China in 2022
04
Indonesia coal imports to China: 200 million tons 2022
05
Mongolia coal exports to China: 70 million tons 2022
06
Russia coal to China: 80 million tons 2022, up 100%
07
Coking coal imports: 110 million tons in 2022
08
Thermal coal imports: 360 million tons 2022
09
2023 coal imports Jan-Nov: 450 million tons, down 10%
10
Coal export destinations: Vietnam 4 million tons 2022
11
India imported 2 million tons from China 2022
12
China banned Australian coal Jan-Dec 2021, resumed 2022
13
Qinhuangdao port coal throughput: 450 million tons 2022
14
Rizhao port coal exports/imports: 200 million tons 2022
15
Coal freight by rail: 3.5 billion tons domestic 2022
16
Coastal coal transport: 2.2 billion tons 2022
17
Coal trade value: $50 billion imports 2022
18
Spot import prices averaged $200/t thermal 2022 peak
19
Long-term contracts covered 70% of imports 2022
20
2023 export quota: 100 million tons approved
21
Philippines imports from China: 1.5 million tons 2022
22
Coal pipeline imports via land: 100 million tons from Mongolia 2022
23
Duty-free coal imports for processing: 50 million tons 2022
24
Export tax rebate 13% on coal 2022
25
Imports from US: dropped to 1 million tons 2022
26
Coal swap deals with Indonesia: 50 million tons 2022
27
2024 import forecast: 400 million tons
Interpretation
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.
Reference
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APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). China Coal Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/china-coal-industry-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "China Coal Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/china-coal-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "China Coal Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/china-coal-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
85 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level