The coal production volume in Kazakhstan increased by 3.2 percent in Jan.-Aug. compared to the same period of 2010, the Novosti-Kazakhstan reported with reference to the Kazakh Statistics Agency.

The country produced 65.6 million tons of coal in Jan.-Aug, 2011. The figure was 8.4 million in August.

The coal industry is one of the largest sectors of the Kazakh economy. Kazakhstan ranks the eighth in the world on the coal reserves. The country owns 4 percent of total global reserves. The coal industry provides the production of almost 80 percent of the country's electricity.

Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan plans to increase the coal production to 134 million tons by 2015 and - up to 151 million tons by 2020.

The total investment in the coal production development will be about $3.4 million. In particular, a $ 1.5 million will be directed for the extraction of coking coal and $1.8 million - steam coal.