HOHHOT - Inner Mongolia autonomous region, China's leading coal producer, on Friday reported a rise of 17 billion tons in coal reserves in 2011, bringing the total coal reserves to a record 770.3 billion tons.

Inner Mongolia holds China's largest coal reserves. It surpassed neighboring Shanxi province to become the largest coal producing region in 2010. Its coal output reached 908 million tons in the first 11 months last year, rising 26.6 percent from a year earlier.

The autonomous region's reserves of molybdenum, copper, and gold also grew by 37 percent, 25 percent, and 14 percent, the regional land and resources department said.

Inner Mongolia spent 5.86 billion yuan ($938 million) on exploration work last year and discovered 71 new mine sites, it added.