Xinjiang to close 117 small coal mines in 2017

URUMQI -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region plans to shut down 117 coal mines this year, cutting 11.9 million tonnes of coal production capacity, according to the regional development and reform commission on Saturday.

These mines, along the Yili River Valley and northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, are mainly small mines with an annual output of less than 300,000 tonnes and those without mechanical mining or safe production conditions, said the regional bureau of coal mine safety supervision.

Xinjiang phased out 17 coal mines in 2016, reducing capacity by 2.4 million tonnes.

Xinjiang boasts abundant coal resources with predicted reserves of 2.2 trillion tonnes and produced 150 million tonnes in 2016.