A rendering of the project site. [Photo/WeChat account of Nuan news]

On Nov 30, the land use rights for the Yingjun No 1 Coal Mine were approved by the People's Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Located in Shanghaimiao town, Otog Front Banner, Ordos, the large, modern mine involves a total investment of 10.05 billion yuan ($1.39 billion) and covers an area of 32.24 hectares. It is listed in National Energy Group's 14th Five-Year Plan and is a key project for Otog Front Banner.

The mine is to be built by Inner Mongolia Weihua Mining Co, a joint venture between Ningxia Coal Industry Co of National Energy Group and China Shuangwei Investment Co. With a total construction period of 52 months, the coal mine is expected to be put into operation in 2028.

Covering a field area of 71.71 square kilometers, the mine is designed with an annual production capacity of 6 million metric tons, an exploitable reserve of 768.25 million tons, and a service life of 85.4 years. A supporting coal preparation plant of corresponding scale will also be built.

After being put into operation, the project will help push forward the development of Shanghaimiao Energy and Chemical Industry Base, further optimize the structure of Otog Front Banner's traditional energy industry, and promote rapid, coordinated and sustainable economic development in western Inner Mongolia.