In 2020, the top 10 coal mines in China had an approved production capacity of 280 million metric tons per year. The actual output of raw coal was 230 million tons, accounting for about 5.9 percent of the country's raw coal output.

Six of the top 10 coal mines are from North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and four are from North China’s Shanxi province. Among them, four of the mines are located in Inner Mongolia’s Ordos city.

In terms of output distribution, the 10 coal mines' annual output was concentrated in the range of 20-30 million tons. Two had a yearly output of more than 25 million tons, five had an output of 21 to 25 million tons, and three had an annual production of close to 20 million tons.

Heidaigou open-pit mine in Ordos’ Juungar Banner ranked first with an annual output of 28.28 million tons. Bulianta coal mine in the city’s Ejin Horoo Banner ranked second with a yearly output of 26.46 million tons, and the Harwusu open-pit mine from Juunager Banner ranked fourth.

Eight open-pit coal mines made the ranking, with a total production capacity of 220 million tons per year and an actual output of 178.81 million tons. 

The two underground coal mines on the list have a total production capacity of 53 million tons per year and an actual output of 51.41 million tons in total.