Major achievements and future research directions of the coal geology in China

Since the State Council promulgated the document concerning strengthening the geological work, the research and prospecting for coal resources in China have obtained ten major achievements, which have largely ensured the national needs for energy resources. However, the proportion of the scientific and green development of coal is still very low and, in the western part of China, where the relatively favorable coal development conditions and coal production are dominated, the damage of water resources and the harm to surface ecology have already restricted the green development of coal resources. Coal utilization is facing serious pressures from air pollution control, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and ecological and environmental protection. The coal geology still has eight difficult problems which need to be studied in the future.