Energy bureaus of all provinces (autonomous regions), development and reform commissions and coal industry management departments of relevant provinces (autonomous regions) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and relevant central enterprises:
Coal washing is the process of sorting gangue and impurities from raw coal using physical or chemical methods, based on product quality requirements and market demand, and processing the coal into products of different specifications. It is a crucial link in the development and utilization of coal resources, and is of great significance for improving the quality of marketable coal, reducing inefficient transportation, and enhancing the level of clean coal utilization. To thoroughly implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, further strengthen the clean and efficient utilization of coal, accelerate the high-quality development of coal washing, and promote the transformation of coal products from primary fuels to high-value products, the following opinions are hereby proposed.
I. General Requirements
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy, deeply practice the new energy security strategy of "four revolutions and one cooperation," take pollution reduction and carbon reduction and green development as the main line, take scientific and technological progress and independent innovation as the driving force, and take policy support and standard guidance as the guarantee. We will adhere to systematic advancement and classified policies, develop advanced coal washing and processing capacity, eliminate backward capacity, promote intelligent and green coal washing and processing, strengthen the comprehensive utilization of washing and processing waste, and improve the comprehensive benefits of coal development. By the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, coal washing facilities will meet the needs of raw coal processing at a high level, the structure of coal washing capacity will be continuously optimized, significant progress will be made in the construction of intelligent coal sorting plants, dry coal sorting technology will be gradually promoted and applied, the raw coal processing rate will be steadily improved, and the connection between upstream and downstream coal products will be smoother, providing important support for promoting the clean and efficient utilization of coal.
II. Main tasks
(I) Promote the upgrading and elimination of inferior coal washing capacity. Strengthen the planning and construction of coal washing capacity. The overall planning and design documents of the mining area should clearly propose the coal washing and processing plan and reasonably determine the scale of coal washing capacity and coal sorting technology. New, renovated and expanded coal mine projects should be equipped with coal sorting plants (coal sorting facilities) of corresponding scale in accordance with the requirements of coal industry policies. Coal mine projects that do not meet the requirements shall not be accepted upon completion. Newly built coal sorting plants must meet the benchmark level for key areas of clean and efficient coal utilization, and projects within the Yellow River Basin must comply with the industrial water quota requirements for the Yellow River Basin. Strengthen the constraints of standards and regulations regarding energy consumption and efficiency, environmental protection, and technological processes, and promote the upgrading and transformation of existing outdated coal sorting plants (facilities) to reach the benchmark level for key areas of clean and efficient coal utilization within a specified timeframe. Those failing to complete the transformation on schedule must be closed down. Encourage leading enterprises to leverage their technological and management advantages to integrate and upgrade coal sorting capacity with small capacity, outdated technology and equipment, and poor overall efficiency through mergers and acquisitions.
(II) Strengthen the intelligent construction of coal washing and beneficiation. New coal sorting plants should, in principle, be built according to intelligent standards, and existing coal sorting plants are encouraged to accelerate their intelligent transformation. The construction of intelligent coal sorting plants should focus on key process links such as gangue removal, separation, and coal slurry water treatment, strengthen the collection and analysis of coal quality indicators before and after coal sorting, and enhance the intelligence and precision of production parameter adjustment. Simultaneously promote the intelligentization of auxiliary processes such as warehousing, coal blending, loading, and coal quality testing, and develop supporting intelligent management systems for production organization, product analysis, and business decision-making to improve dynamic analysis and decision-making and the level of intelligent operation throughout the entire process. Conduct pilot projects for the application of intelligent technology upgrades in coal sorting plants, iteratively upgrade the intelligent production and operation systems of coal sorting plants, and form a replicable and scalable model for the intelligent construction and normalized operation of coal sorting plants.
(III) Rational Selection of Coal Washing Processes. Based on factors such as the properties of raw coal, product requirements, separation efficiency, and input-output, and after comprehensive technical and economic comparison, rationally determine coal washing methods such as jigging, heavy media, flotation, and dry separation. The washed products should meet the national commercial coal quality standards. Optimize coal washing process combinations, promote separation theory and technological innovation, and improve the separation capacity and effect of easily weathered and muddy coals such as lignite. Develop dry coal sorting technology according to local conditions, improve the single-unit capacity, separation accuracy, and clean coal recovery rate of dry separation equipment, enhance dust and noise control levels, and develop complete sets of dry coal sorting equipment suitable for different coal types. New coal sorting plants in water-scarce areas of Northwest China should, in principle, adopt dry or a combination of dry and wet processes. Those unsuitable for dry processes must explain this in the project approval or filing application materials.
(IV) Improve clean and efficient production levels. Strictly implement national requirements for clean production and ecological environmental protection. Effective noise reduction and vibration reduction measures should be taken during coal washing and beneficiation. Dust removal facilities should be equipped at dust-prone nodes such as material transfer, feeding, crushing, and screening to reduce the production and emission of pollutants from coal washing and beneficiation. Strengthen the investigation and management of safety hazards in all production stages of coal sorting and improve the labor protection level of front-line workers. Develop and promote green, efficient, and environmentally friendly reagents to improve the utilization efficiency of reagents in flotation, coal slurry water treatment, and other stages, and reduce the use of reagents while meeting process requirements. All stages of the coal sorting plant utilize closed-loop transportation methods such as corridors and pipelines to improve the cleanliness of the plant area, and open-air storage of coal and coal gangue is prohibited. Air pollution prevention and control requirements for key areas are implemented, and clean transportation is promoted between coal mines and coal sorting plants, and between coal sorting plants and users. Water used for coal washing should be recycled and dynamically balanced, and all coal slime should be recovered. National standards for coal sorting power consumption and water consumption are strictly enforced, and the development of stricter group or enterprise standards is encouraged to improve energy conservation and carbon reduction levels in coal sorting.
(V) Promote the reduction and utilization of coal washing waste. Application reports for new, expanded, or renovated coal mines (including associated coal sorting plants) should include a coal gangue treatment plan, clearly defining the disposal methods and comprehensive utilization pathways for coal gangue. New independent coal sorting plant projects must also clearly define their coal gangue treatment plans. Actively implement underground (pit) sorting to reduce the amount of coal gangue brought to the surface (out of the pit), and promote technologies such as backfilling mining and overburden separation grouting to treat coal gangue and reduce surface coal gangue production. Encourage the comprehensive resource utilization of coal gangue, coal slime, etc., based on their calorific value and carbon content, prioritizing their use in power generation, building materials, road construction, mineral recycling, and chemical production. Support large-scale utilization of coal gangue for backfilling and land reclamation. Leverage the leading role of demonstration bases and enterprises for the comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste (coal gangue), and utilize existing channels of central government budgetary investment to support eligible coal gangue comprehensive utilization projects, promoting the disposal and utilization of washing waste.
(VI) Improve the management level of coal washing and processing. Coal enterprises are encouraged to establish specialized coal washing institutions to uniformly manage and operate coal washing and processing businesses within their enterprises or regions, thereby improving the standardization and normalization of washing and processing technology, operation, and management. Actively develop third-party coal washing services such as entrusted operation, maintenance, and environmental governance to promote the specialization and refinement of coal washing and processing. Leverage market mechanisms and adhere to the principle of "high quality, high price," encouraging coal mining enterprises to improve the customization level of coal washing and processing based on the different needs of users in the power, steel, chemical, and building materials industries, providing differentiated, high-value coal products that meet their specific requirements.
(VII) Strengthen scientific and technological research and development and pilot applications. Conduct research and development on key equipment such as extra-large crushing and sorting, centrifugal dewatering, and pressure filtration; increase the localization rate of electronic components such as sensors and controls; and enhance the stability and reliability of equipment operation. Improve the theoretical system of dry coal sorting, promote technological innovation in full-size and intelligent dry coal sorting, and enhance the reliability and processing capacity of dry coal sorting equipment. Develop coal washing and beneficiation anti-crushing technology to reduce excessive washing of fine coal. Promote technological innovation in water conservation, energy conservation, and gangue backfilling to improve the level of green production. We will intensify efforts to promote advanced technologies and equipment, and promptly release pilot projects for advanced technologies. We will support enterprises, universities, and research institutes in establishing joint coal sorting R&D centers and other research platforms, and encourage the training of innovative coal sorting professionals as needed through customized training programs and joint training programs. We will also increase the pace of knowledge updates for coal sorting engineering technicians.
III. Safeguard measures
(I) Strengthening Organization and Implementation. The National Energy Administration will strengthen industry coordination, work with relevant departments to enhance guidance and coordination of coal washing and processing, promote the improvement of the coal washing and processing policy and standard system, and coordinate and resolve major issues in the process. Provincial-level coal industry management departments should establish a baseline of their region's washing and processing capacity, improve the statistical scheduling system for key technical indicators of coal washing and processing, refine policy measures based on local conditions, and actively utilize support policies such as green credit, carbon emission reduction support tools, and central budget funds to promote the upgrading of the coal washing and processing industry. Key coal enterprises, especially central enterprises, should play a leading role in promoting innovation in coal washing and processing technology and management models.
(II) Strengthen Publicity and Guidance. Coal industry management departments at all levels should conduct timely summaries and evaluations based on the progress of coal washing and processing, selecting exemplary practices and successful experiences for promotion. Relevant local governments, enterprises, universities, and research institutions should actively apply for green technology promotion catalogs, adopting various forms to publicize innovative technologies and beneficial practices, and promoting the exchange and mutual learning of advanced coal washing and processing technologies and management models. Relevant industry associations should play a bridging role, building platforms for exchange and cooperation, and creating a favorable atmosphere for accelerating the high-quality development of coal washing and processing.
National Energy Administration
October 11, 2025
(Source: National Energy Administration website)