A billion tons of coal has been discovered in northwest Liaoning province, according to the provincial government.

The coal resources are distributed across the regions of Diaobingshan, Changtu, Zhangwu etc., according to Zhao Guohong, vice-governor of Liaoning province.

The government currently invests 100 million yuan on gathering information about the mineral resource.

"We arranged 127 geological surveys from 2007 to 2009 in Fuxin, Tieling and Chaoyang which are the main cities located in the northwest. The total prospecting funds added up to about 699 million yuan, 100 million yuan of which was designated for 2009," said Zhao.

Twenty-six prospecting projects were carried out this year. And the one-billion-ton deposit was found during these surveys.

Meanwhile, the exploration crew also found aedelforsite and other non-ferrous metals in Diaobingshan, a county of Liaoning.

According to Wang Shenghui, chief engineer of No. 101 exploration team of Northeast Coalfield Geological Bureau, the coal mines discovered in Diaobingshan and Changtu are 1,300 to 1,500 meters underground in a deep seam. The coal is therefore of high purity and quality, and suitable for creating power.

"Such a large-scale coal resource will relieve the situation of coal and gas shortages in the province," said Liu Ligong, an expert from the Advisory Committee of Shenyang municipal government.

According to statistics from the local authority, Liaoning consumed 19 million tons of coal in winter 2008.

"Liaoning is facing a bottleneck of energy now. The deposit can provide a necessary foundation for cities in the province to make the transition from mineral cities to modern industrial cities," Liu added.

Moreover, the coal mine is expected to create at least 40,000 job opportunities.

"Take a coal mine enterprise with 20 million tons yearly capacity as an example, the deposit can be excavated for 50 years and will provide over 40,000 employment positions," said Wang Shenghui.