China’s raw coal production hit a record high in March 2025, with output reaching 440.58 million tonnes, up 9.6% from a year earlier, according to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics. Cumulative production in the first quarter rose 8.1% year-on-year to 1.2026 billion tonnes, also a new high for the period.
Source: China Coal Resource
China’s raw coal production hit a record high in March 2025, with output reaching 440.58 million tonnes, up 9.6% from a year earlier, according to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics. Cumulative production in the first quarter rose 8.1% year-on-year to 1.2026 billion tonnes, also a new high for the period.
Inner Mongolia remained the country’s largest coal producer in March, with output totaling 123.64 million tonnes, a 1.9% increase year-on-year. Shanxi followed closely with 113.83 million tonnes, marking a sharp 19.6% rise—the province’s fastest growth since December 2020. Shaanxi ranked third, producing 69.24 million tonnes, up 6.7%.
Despite Shanxi’s strong growth, it once again fell short of overtaking Inner Mongolia, which set a new monthly production record not just for the region, but for any province in China. The previous high—122.15 million tonnes—was set by Shanxi in June 2023. Shanxi’s surge was largely due to a low base in the same period last year, while Inner Mongolia’s increase reflects genuine production expansion, suggesting significant untapped capacity remains. Output in Shaanxi held steady by comparison.
Combined, the three major coal-producing provinces—Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, and Shaanxi—produced 306.71 million tonnes in March, an increase of 26.63 million tonnes, or 9.5%, from a year ago. Their combined share of national output stood at 69.61%, down 0.53 percentage points year-on-year.
Five provinces reported monthly coal output above 10 million tonnes. Together, they produced 372 million tonnes, up 11.3% year-on-year, accounting for 84.4% of the national total. Outside the top three producers, Xinjiang ranked fourth with 51.47 million tonnes, a 20.6% increase from a year earlier.
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