Shanxi: No new socially independent coal preparation enterprises will be built

The Opinions on Promoting Upgrading and Realizing Normative Development of Coal Washing Industry in Shanxi Province issued by Shanxi Provincial Government Office recently put forward that in principle, Shanxi will no longer build socially independent coal washing enterprises in the future, gradually eliminate backward and excessive washing capacity, and improve the level of clean coal supply guarantee. Opinions point out that by 2020, the normal production and operation of coal preparation enterprises in Shanxi will be controlled at about 1200, the washing capacity will be controlled within 1.8 billion tons/year, the advanced production capacity will account for 25%, the raw coal washing rate in Shanxi Province will reach more than 80%, and the efforts of environmental protection will be strengthened to reduce the discharge of solid waste.

Shanxi will use market and rule of law to improve environmental protection standards and eliminate coal preparation enterprises with small washing capacity, backward washing equipment and poor comprehensive benefits. On the basis of keeping the total capacity of coal washing unchanged, and in accordance with the principle of "reduction replacement", the existing independent coal washing enterprises in society are encouraged to adopt new processes and new technologies for reconstruction, expansion or technological transformation.

Opinions require that the relevant departments of all localities immediately stop approving and filing projects of independent coal preparation enterprises in any name. In the future, new coal mines must synchronously build supporting coal preparation enterprises, and new and expanded coal preparation projects shall be examined and filed by Shanxi Energy Bureau.