NBS: Safety checks crimp China's coal output in key mining hubs in May

Raw coal output in China's major producing regions edged lower in May, as extensive safety inspections following a fatal mine accident in Shanxi province disrupted production at coking coal mines. However, increased output from the country's key thermal coal bases largely offset the losses, highlighting the government's efforts to safeguard steam coal supply ahead of the summer peak demand season.

According to provincial data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's five largest coal-producing regions – Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Xinjiang and Guizhou – produced a combined 337.49 million tonnes of raw coal in May, down 1.2% year on year but up 4% from April. The five provinces