Breakthroughs and insights from 5G-enabled smart coal mining

As one of China’s major coal-producing provinces, Shanxi has, in recent years, seen its coal mining enterprises actively explore digital and intelligent transformation, reshaping public perceptions of traditional mining.

The digitalization of coal mines is not merely about “adopting 5G”; rather, Shanxi has pioneered a forward-looking, problem-oriented, and system-driven approach to smart mining.

This path offers empirical solutions to structural challenges faced by the coal industry in its digital transformation and outlines an emerging “Chinese model” for the coordinated development of intelligent and low-carbon energy systems.

Traditionally, coal mines, long regarded as the backbone of conventional energy, have lagged in digital advancement, primarily due to three key pain points. The first is fragmented sensing systems. In many mines, early-stage infrastructure was built in silos, with subsystems operating independently and lacking standard data interfaces, making integrated data sharing virtually impossible.

Second, outdated dispatch logic. Even when certain systems are connected to a central platform, the absence of cross-domain models and algorithms limits real-time coordination and hinders the formation of true closed-loop decision-making mechanisms.

Third, inefficient energy management. Although energy consumption data is collected, it is rarely fed into real-time analytics or dynamic control processes, leaving energy systems in a state of “visible but not manageable.”

In Lvliang, Shanxi Province, the Xinyan Coal Mine operated by Dongyi Group has made notable breakthroughs in addressing all three of these challenges.

By establishing a 5G-enabled, full-coverage underground network, Xinyan Coal Mine became the first in the industry to implement a large-scale industrial data transmission architecture characterized by low latency and wide connectivity. This infrastructure supports the simultaneous operation of high-definition video monitoring, gas detection, equipment sensing, and personnel positioning systems, effectively eliminating “islands of perception.” On this foundation, the mine built an integrated dispatching platform that replaces manual rule-setting with algorithmic logic—marking a transition from mere “information display” to automated response. For example, the ventilation system no longer operates on a fixed schedule but dynamically adjusts based on real-time personnel density and gas concentration, significantly improving energy efficiency.

In the area of energy system management, the mine has realized a closed-loop control mechanism encompassing monitoring, analysis, and response. Energy consumption is no longer treated merely as a managerial output, but as a real-time input parameter for system optimization. Energy media such as air, water, and electricity are now integrated into a unified dynamic scheduling model, enabling full-process, all-scenario energy efficiency optimization. Field results show that the mine has reduced ventilation energy consumption by an average of 15% annually, while underground power load curves have become noticeably more stable. This data-driven energy governance marks a shift from high-consumption operational logic to a new stage of lean and intelligent energy control.

More importantly, this initiative represents not only a technological upgrade, but a transformation in governance logic. Coal mines, as inherently high-risk, high-energy-consuming, and highly complex operational environments, cannot achieve digital transformation through a simple “stacking of devices.” Instead, they must build systems that enable real-time data-driven coordination and intelligent response. The approach adopted by Xinyan Coal Mine effectively constructs a “digital twin” of the mine—an intelligent system that is perceptive, cognitive, collaborative, and continuously evolving. This practice validates the feasibility of deeply integrating 5G, industrial internet, AI models, and energy dispatch systems in real-world mining operations.

From the perspective of upgrading and transforming the coal industry, the experience of Xinyan Coal Mine offers three key insights for the development of 5G-enabled smart mining:

First, shift from technological integration to systemic evolution. The advancement of 5G-enabled intelligence should not be viewed as the stacking of isolated technologies. Instead, it calls for the establishment of a unified data infrastructure and a cross-domain algorithm ecosystem—facilitating the transition from a cluster of automated devices to a cognitive systems entity.

Second, move from information sensing to governance restructuring. Energy efficiency management in coal mines must go beyond visualized dashboards and evolve into a core logic module that supports dispatch optimization, operational command, and carbon management—serving as a driving force for digital governance across the mining sector.

Third, progress from edge-case pilots to scenario-based diffusion. The technological and operational models demonstrated at Xinyan Coal Mine should be promoted across a wider range of small and medium-sized mines, complex geological settings, and enterprises under diverse ownership structures—forming a universally applicable industry paradigm.

Against the backdrop of global climate governance, China’s energy system faces a dual challenge: ensuring a stable supply of conventional energy while simultaneously advancing decarbonization and efficiency improvements across the entire sector.

The development of 5G-enabled smart coal mines is not a matter of simply digitizing a traditional industry. It represents a systemic optimization path within the current energy structure—one that simultaneously addresses safety, efficiency, and carbon goals. The experience of Xinyan Coal Mine illustrates that digital technology can do more than enable low-carbon operations; it can be embedded within the energy governance framework to create a data-centric, clean, safe, and efficient coordination mechanism.

This, in essence, is a valuable contribution China can offer to global climate governance: safeguarding energy security while pioneering the green reconstruction of traditional energy systems through digital means. The digital transformation unfolding within this coal mine in Lvliang is not only an engineering experiment—it offers a preview of the future trajectory of energy development.

The author, Cao Can, is a research fellow of the Energy Internet Research Institute, Tsinghua University.