China's State Administration of Work and Safety said it was investigating the cause of the explosion on Saturday which left at least 28 people dead.

According to the nation's official Xinhua News Agency a further 13 people were rescued after the blast struck the state-owned mine outside the city of Baishan in Jilin province late on Friday.

Citing a spokesman with the provincial work safety and supervision bureau, Xinhua reported that rescue operations at Bibao Coal mine had now ceased.

China's mines are among the deadliest in the world, with frequent accidents blamed on lax regulation, corruption and inefficiency. The nation is the world's biggest consumer of coal, relying on the fossil fuel for 70 percent of its energy needs.

ccp/ch (AFP, AP)