Baotailong New Materials Co., Ltd has received approval to resume production at its No.3 mine after local authorities confirmed the operation meets resumption conditions.

The mine, which will boost the company's raw coal self-supply capacity and lower raw material costs, is expected to improve future profitability and support sustainable development, the company said.

Baotailong No.3 mine obtained its mining license from the Heilongjiang provincial natural resources department in October 2020, valid for 10 years through October 2030. The provincial development and reform commission later confirmed the project's 300,000 tonnes per annum capacity replacement plan as compliant. In April 2021, the mine received project approval from the commission.

In 2022, the project was included in Baotailong's private placement fundraising plan, with construction funding officially launched. In September 2024, it received approval from Qitaihe city's Xinxing district government to resume work and fully restarted construction after passing inspection. The re-filed environmental impact assessment subsequently passed review.

In June 2026, the Qitaihe ecological environment bureau issued the project's pollutant discharge permit in just five working days, clearing the final hurdle before trial operations. The mine entered joint trial operation from June 4 to December 3, 2026.

The No.3 mine has an annual design capacity of 300,000 tonnes, producing mainly meager coal and anthracite to supply feedstock coal for Baotailong's own stable light hydrocarbon project.

Baotailong is the largest independent coking enterprise in northeast China and a leading coal chemical company in Heilongjiang province. It operates seven coal mines with combined resources of 476.12 million tonnes and total capacity of 4.2 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).

To date, four mines are in formal production — No.1, No.5, Baozhong and No.3 — plus the Dayan mine in trial operation, bringing total capacity to 2.1 Mtpa.

According to its 2025 annual report, the No.2 mine is under construction while the Donghui mine is in pre-construction preparation.

In the first half of this year, Baotailong's raw coal output fell 12.21% year on year to 491,400 tonnes, washed coal output dropped 42.88% to 52,700 tonnes, and slack coal output declined 58.96% to 41,000 tonnes. The company attributed the declines to weaker coal market prices and output in the period.