China's July coal output drops to lowest since 2021 after mine disaster

China's coal production in July contracted sharply, with output falling to levels not seen since the pandemic era, as heightened safety scrutiny following a catastrophic mining accident continued to disrupt operations.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed the world's largest coal producer extracted 343.21 million metric tons in July, a 10.1% decline compared with the same month last year. This represents the lowest standalone monthly output figure since September 2021, excluding the combined January-February reporting period used to account for Lunar New Year disruptions.

Cumulative production for the first seven months of 2025 reached 2.7 billion metric tons, down 2.9% from the corresponding period in the previous year.

The slowdown follows a devastating gas explosion at the Liushenyu mine in Shanxi province in May, which claimed 82 lives — the deadliest mining disaster in China in 15 years. In the aftermath, authorities ordered widespread closures and inspections across the coal-rich region.

Investigations into the incident revealed that the mine had employed hidden tunnels and fake doors to conceal parts of its operations from regulatory oversight, according to state media reports. The ongoing safety crackdown has kept many mines offline, constraining supply and contributing to the sharp monthly decline.