Coal geology, as the basic theory to find coals, to evaluate and explore coal resources, and also to construct the safeguard geological system for coal mining, is a key role of safe energy supply and contributor to the national economic growth. Based on the brief analyses of the history, status and developmental prospects, the opportunity and challenge faced by coal geology in China are given, and the corresponding counter-measure is proposed. It is pointed out that the major research domains in the next 5~20 years are as follows: ①the deep coal deposits and resource potential in the large and old coal-mining areas in eastern China;②the regional units and comprehensive evaluation of coal resources in Xinjiang Yugur Autonomous Region;③coalbed methane(CBM) reservoir-dynamics, selection of the best sweet points for CBM-recovering, and the CBM-drainage in coordination with coal-mining merged into an organic whole in coal-mining areas; ④geological study of the clean and liquefied coals, and the environment and health effects during coal mining and utilization.

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