Shanxi Province, a major coal producer in China, is expected to close 32 coal mines and cut more than 20 million tonnes of overcapacity this year, local authorities said.

Shanxi required companies to shut down the coal mines before the end of October, make proper arrangement for employees, and restore the environment, according to a notification released by the provincial government.

To improve its industrial structure and pursue greener growth, Shanxi had phased out nearly 116 million tonnes of coal production capacity and shut down 106 coal mines by the end of 2019, official statistics showed.

Currently, the province has more than 950 coal mines.

It will speed up efforts to promote coal mining in a more intelligent way. The province aims to implement intelligent mining in all coal mines by 2030.