ICC’s predecessor is the Laboratory of Coal, one of the laboratories of the Dalian-based Institute of Industrial Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS). In 1954, this laboratory became directly affiliated with CAS. In June 1959, CAS made a decision to move the Laboratory to Taiyuan, Shanxi, a coal-rich province. After two years’ construction at the new site in Taiyuan, the migration was completed in late 1961, and the laboratory was renamed the Institute of Coal Chemistry(ICC), CAS, upon expansion.
Traditionally, 1954 is regarded as the year of the foundation of ICC.
In 1966, CAS changed ICC’s name to the Institute of Fuel Chemistry, and merged the Tianjin-based North China Institute of Chemistry into ICC.
In 1970, CAS handed the Institute of Fuel Chemistry over to the Ministry of Fuel Chemistry and Industry, and then, in 1971, the institute was handed over to Shanxi Bureau of Coal Industry. Correspondingly, its name was changed to Shanxi Institute of Fuel Chemistry.
In May 1978, Shanxi provincial government changed the institute’s name again to Shanxi Institute of Comprehensive Utilization of Coal, subordinating to Shanxi Science and Technology Commission. Not long after that, in September 1978, the institute returned back to under CAS’ leadership and was renamed the Shanxi Institute of Coal Chemistry(still abbreviated as ICC), CAS. Since then, ICC has held its subsidiary position as one of CAS’ high-tech R&D institutions, featuring energy, chemical engineering and advanced material, till now.
