Shanxi's Provincial Department of Natural Resources has unveiled its first batch of green mines for 2025, comprising a total of 89 mines, 86 of which are coal mines, underscoring coal's continued dominance in the province's industrial mix.

The 86 coal mines boast a combined production capacity of 163.3 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), Sxcoal data showed, accounting for 11.7% of the province's total operating coal mines. They are mainly large- and medium-sized mines and spread across key mining cities including Changzhi, Jinzhong, Linfen, Jincheng, and Datong.

Changzhi city emerged as a frontrunner, contributing 32 green coal mines with a combined capacity of 62.4 Mtpa, over a third of the total. Jincheng and Jinzhong followed with 14 mines each, and Linfen at 12 coal mines. These four cities collectively form the nucleus of Shanxi's green mining blueprint.

Of the 86 coal mines, 44 or 51% have capacities between 1.2-3 Mtpa, contributing a combined 59.4 Mtpa, while 13 or 15% with capacities at or above 3 Mtpa account for a total of 81.6 Mtpa. Datong took the lead with 34 Mtpa at five mines. The remaining 29 mines operate at or below 0.9 Mtpa.

These coal mines have implemented intelligent mining technologies, promoted the reuse of coal gangue and other solid wastes, and launched comprehensive geological and environmental restoration projects, pivoting towards green, smart, efficient, and modernized mining.

All the 89 selected green mines are in line with the stringent criteria of ecological mining area, scientific extraction, efficient resource utilization, standardized management, and harmonious community integration. It aims to minimize ecological disruption while maximizing both economic and environmental returns.

Cities like Taiyuan and Shuozhou saw no entries in this round. This unevenness reflects varying stages in regional green mining development, offering a roadmap for where policy and capital might next be directed.

The 2025 green mine roster also reveals how Shanxi, a traditional energy powerhouse, has begun to align itself with the imperatives of sustainable development and ecological modernization.