CHINA, the world's biggest coal producer, has approved an export quota totaling 15.9 million tons for this month and next month, said an official at Shenhua Group Corp, the nation's largest producer of the fuel.

Shenhua can export 6.55 million tons in the so-called second batch of authorized coal shipments for this year, the Beijing-based official in charge of overseas sales, who declined to be named because of internal rules, said by telephone yesterday. Shenhua has already used up its quota from the first batch, the official said.