China’s resource-rich Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has discovered another major coalfield with estimated coal resources of 11.5 billion tonnes, local media reported.<br /> <br /> The new coalfield is located within an area of 913.22 square kilometers in Sandaoling mining area of eastern Xingjiang’s Hami, Xinjiang Economic Journal cited sources from Xinjiang Bureau of Coal Field Geology on October 15.<br /> <br /> Of the estimated resource volume, 3.47 billion tonnes belongs to inferred resource and 8.11 billion tonnes predicted resource, the bureau said.<br /> <br /> There are two main mineable coal seams, averagely 14.85 meters thick and maximum thickness up to 28.6 meters. They are shallowly buried with simple geologic structures.<br /> <br /> The coal belongs to high quality thermal coal for power generation and residential purpose, with low ash, low sulfur and high heating value.<br /> <br /> <p> Xinjiang plans to further explore the eastern and western parts of the discovered coalfield, the bureau said. </p> <p style="text-align:center;"> <img src="/upfiles/news/image/20141020/20141020172536_1401.jpg" alt="" /> </p>