TAIYUAN, Feb. 1 -- Shanxi, a major coal-producing province in north China, has fully shut down coke ovens with a chamber height of 4.3 meters as part of its upgrade program, said the provincial department of industry and information technology.

The facility upgrade involves nearly 22.6 million tonnes of coke production capacity. New techniques and technologies have been applied in the upgrade program, turning the province's coke production facilities into those with a chamber height of 5.5 meters or above.

The eco-friendly facility upgrade is expected to help reduce energy consumption and realize clean production in its coking industry, according to the department.

As a leading coke-producing base in China, Shanxi has abundant high-quality coking coal resources. In 2023, of China's total coke output of more than 492 million tonnes, the province produced over 95.7 million tonnes of coke, ranking first nationwide.