(Yicai Global) Aug. 22 -- A subsidiary of Chinese coke maker Shanxi Meijin Energy Co. [SHE:000723] will spend CNY15.3 million (USD2.3 million) to set up a smart mining robot research and development firm in which it will hold a 51 percent stake.

Meijin Meihe Investment Management Ltd. will use its own funds to set up the company in Shanghai alongside a number of co-investors, the listed firm said on Aug. 21.

The joint venture will focus on developing automated coal mining robots to use in integrated mines and remote-controlled smart robots to use in high-temperature coking environments, the statement said.

The project will substantially improve production efficiency in the listed company's two major businesses, coal mining and coking, the firm said. The robots will fully or partially replace manual labor in underground coal-mining and reduce potential casualties.