(Shanxi) Huoxi Coalfield

1) Location
Huoxi Coalfield is located in the south-central Shanxi Province under the administration of Luliang City, Jinzhong City and Linfen City. It is one of the important coking coal producing areas in Shanxi Province. The coalfield is SN spread across Fenyang County, Jiaokou County of Luliang City, Xiaoyi City, Lingshi County and Jiexiu City of Jinzhong City, Yaodu District, Fenxi County, Pu County, Xiangfen County, Yicheng County of Linfen City, and Houzhou City. The geographic coordinates are: 110˚00΄00˝～112˚00΄00˝ east longitude and 35˚40΄00˝～37˚20΄00˝ north latitude. It is like a rectangle with the south-north length of 170km and the east-west width of 70km. Its area is about 11900km2 among that 6907km2 is the coal-bearing area (mainly refers to the refined, detailed and preliminary survey areas). 3170 km2 has been prospected, 26.64% of the entire area. The coalfield comprises 5 mine areas of Fenxiao (1100km2), Lingshi (510km2), Huozhou (560km2), Kecheng-Nanwanli (700km2) and Xiangfen (300km2).

2) Coal Quality

Huoxi Coalfield is not only abundant with coal reserves but also with varied coal types. It reserves most coal types from gas coal to anthracite but mostly is coking coal. Therefore, it is one of important coking coal producing areas in China.

The physical properties of all coal seams are much similar such as brown, black and black-gray color and brown-black or black striation. The coal seams in Shanxi formation have oily luster and vitreous luster with developed or well-developed endogenic fissures. The coal seams in Taiyuan formation have strong vitreous luster or adamantine luster with relatively developed endogenic fissures. Powdered or uneven fracture, banded or even strucuture, fragile, it often filled with calsite and pyrite.

3) Geological Exploration

Huoxi Coalfield is one of the important coking coal producing areas in China. The geologists both at home and aboard come to here to research and study the geology since the 1970s. They published a lot of well-known articles and books about Huoxi Coalfield. The geological prospect started from 1956. The entire coalfield has been prospected in various degrees. 51 refined survey reports have been submitted successively that are Gaojiazhuang, Liuwan, Gaoyang, Shuiyu, Youjiashan, Fujiatan, Tuanbai, Wayao Geda, Bailong, Xinzhi, Tuisha, etc.

The refined survey area is 684.01km2, 21.58% of the whole prospected area. 14 detailed survey reports of Xingyue, Baibiguan, Wan’an, Qiaojiawan, and so on have been submitted with the area of 897.7km2. 30 preliminary survey reports of Xiangfen, Donghe, Kecheng, Daomei, Jienan, Xigou, Shuangchi, and so on have been submitted with the area of 1606km2.

The total prospecting area is 3170km2. The refined reports of Fenxiao, Lingshi and Huozhou area used by key state-owned coalmines mostly and local state-owned coalmines partly. Some detailed and preliminary survey reports are used by local state-owned and township coalmines. Some detailed and preliminary survey reports are used by key state-owned coalmine as expansion area or reserve after being improved the prospecting degree.

Some reports are not used such as Jienan preliminary survey, Wan’an detailed survey, and Tuisha refined survey. 3 reconnaissances of Fenxiao, Huozhou, and Linfen are potential reserves. The outcrops out of the northwest exploration area have been used by township coalmines.