A coal mine with a designed annual production capacity of 5 million tons was put into operation recently in east China's Shandong province.
Covering 110 square kilometers, the coal mine has a geological reserve of 880 million tons and a minable reserve of 535 million tons.
Experts say that quality of the coal is good since it has low-sulphur and low-phosphur content. Meanwhile, a coal-selecting factory with an annual capacity of 5 million tons was completed simultaneously, while a power plant with an installed capacity of 270,000 kilowatts is about to be constructed.
Situated in the city of Jining and close to both the Beijing-Shanghai railway and the Beijing-Kowloon railway, coal produced there can reach many parts of the country.
(People's Daily 01/08/2001)