Known coal reserves in China are about 1031 billion tonnes, while the predicted resources are 3800 billion tonnes. China is currently the world's largest coal producer, with over 1 billion tonnes’production in 1990. It is not surprising to discover, therefore, that coal is not only geographically widespread in the country but also occurs in every stratigraphic interval upwards from the Devonian (and even earlier) and is found in almost every conceivable depositional setting. With seams over 200 m thick in some basins, Chinese coals offer many geological as well as mining challenge