A heavy-duty lorry receives a load of coal at a yard. (Photo: China Daily)

The National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, has approved two coal mine projects with combined investment totaling 9.36 billion yuan (about $1.32 billion).

The construction of the two projects is conducive to ensuring energy supplies, the commission said in a statement on its website.

The two projects, one located in Shanxi Province and the other in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, will each have an annual production capacity of 5 million tonnes.

The projects are not allowed to expand coal production beyond the approved capacity, according to the statement.

The commission also asked the two projects to use energy-saving facilities and strictly follow safety laws and regulations to ensure workplace safety.