China National Administration of Coal Geology has confirmed that it has quantified its recent discovery of coal in Tongshan county, Jiangsu province, according to China News Service. Geologists believe coal reserves total 72m tons up to 1,200 metres below the surface and 47m tons between 1,200 metres and 1,500 metres. Once exploited, the reserves will greatly ease the shortage of coal experienced by industrial centres along the coast.

China’s coal reserves are located mostly in the north. Each year, coal is transported in large quantities by rail to thermal power plants along the coast. Coal is also the second largest commodity shipped along the Yangtze, behind iron ore.

No details of the excavation plan have so far been published.