Beijing, April 24 - Nine miners died in a blast early Monday at a coal mine in China's Inner Mongolia region, officials said.

The explosion took place around 3.20 a.m. in Xingya coal mine in Urad. Sixteen others were injured. The mine produces 300,000 tonnes of coal annually.

Some 1,970 miners were killed in colliery accidents last year, Xinhua reported.

Inner Mongolia holds China's largest coal reserves.