TAIYUAN, Feb. 14(Xinhuanet)-- The annual per capita income of workers in state-owned coal mines in Shanxi Province rose to 20,500 yuan(2,480 US dollars) last year, up 25 percent from the previous year.

This is the first time the workers earned more than 20,000 yuanin a year, and the income increase was attributed to growth in coal production and sales.

The province produced 493 million tons of coal last year, accounting of one fourth of the country's total. Several years ago,low prices of coal and coke resulted in lower economic efficiency in the coal industry. Thanks to the improvement of its economic performance, social security and operation mechanisms have changedthe stagnant situation.

By the end of last year, more than 410,000 workers from the keystated-owned coal mines had received industrial injury insurance.