Shanxi Tunlan Coal Mine Suffers Pains    

On February 22nd a large coalbed methane explosion happened at the Tunlan Coal Mine of Shanxi Coke Coal Group killed 74 workers. The provincial governor Wang Jun, former Director of the State Administration of Work Safety, apologized publicly to the families that lost member in the accident.
   The government will therefore ask the major coal mines in the province to take off-line and check safety situation. Production reduction of coal is certain in the first quarter because Shanxi province's coal production capacity accounts for around 24% in the country's total.  
   The Tunlan Coal Mine can annually produce 5 million tons of coal for coking. According to the data from the China Coal Industry Association, Shanxi Coke Coal Group's production of coal for coking accounted for 13.5% of the national total in January 2009. The coking chemical firms will find huge difficulty in purchasing raw coal when they are suffering a free fall demand from iron works.