Traditional coal mines are undergoing a deep integration with artificial intelligence, while recycling technologies are being deployed underground to handle solid waste. In Shanxi, a key energy province, the coal industry is accelerating its shift toward innovation and sustainability. Huayang No. 2 Mine, located in Yangquan City on the western foothills of the Taihang Mountains, is an older mine. Within its 400-meter-deep shafts, densely placed sensors and multiple cameras provide round-the-clock monitoring, transmitting real-time footage of mining and transportation activities back to the surface. In the production dispatch command center, operators keep a close watch on an AI early-warning platform. Powered by a large AI model tailored for coal mining, this platform monitors hazardous scenarios underground—such as failure to wear safety helmets or improper riding behavior—and immediately triggers alerts via both computers and mobile devices when anomalies are detected. "In the past, underground safety relied entirely on safety officers monitoring workers in person. Now, the 24/7 AI monitoring system acts like a sentinel, becoming a life-protecting partner for miners," said Wang Li, head of the safety supervision department at Huayang No. 2 Mine. Just a few years ago, "AI + coal mining" was still a novelty in Shanxi. In recent years, the province has mobilized the entire industry to build a coal industrial internet platform. By gathering large-model companies, opening up application scenarios, and integrating data, Shanxi is accelerating the adoption of AI across various mining operations. Inside the exhibition hall of the Shanxi Coal Industrial Internet Platform, more than 200 "AI + coal mining" applications are displayed through simulated scenarios. "Look! This drill rod is performing water detection and drainage along the coal seam. How much to detect and how to do it are all automatically determined by artificial intelligence, effectively avoiding under-detection or missed detection," explained a staff member at the exhibition. Water detection and drainage are critical to coal mine safety. This intelligent system, developed by Elite Digital Intelligence—an AI solutions provider on the platform—can thoroughly identify hidden risks of water hazards underground and is now used in over 280 coal mines across the province. Last year, the Shanxi Coal Industrial Internet Platform was approved as a national pilot base for AI applications in the energy sector. It currently offers nearly 1,500 AI application products. "AI is increasingly becoming essential for improving standardized operations and curbing inefficiencies and leaks," said Wang Hui, general manager of Shanxi Jinyun Interconnect Technology Co., Ltd., which operates and maintains the platform. Underground, mines are not only witnessing intelligent transformations in production but are also embracing a green revolution in solid waste management. Shanxi Coal International Energy Group’s Baozigou Coal Industry Co., Ltd. in Puxian County, Linfen, has invested tens of millions of yuan to introduce coal gangue backfilling technology. This process turns gangue into slurry underground and injects it into rock fractures, achieving "zero onsite disposal" of solid waste. Coal gangue disposal has long been a major challenge in the industry. Through the large screen in the dispatch control center, it is visible that an intelligent dry separator sorts coal from gangue directly underground and backfills the waste into goafs, eliminating the need to bring it to the surface. "Having worked in coal mines for decades, I never dreamed we would one day achieve 'gangue not leaving the mine, backfilled onsite'," said Liu Yunlong, chief engineer of Baozigou Coal Industry. Previously, 700,000 tons of gangue had to be lifted to the surface for burial each year, creating significant environmental pressure and high treatment costs. Since the system was put into operation last October, it has already processed over 200,000 tons of gangue underground. China’s State Council has issued a comprehensive action plan for solid waste management, aiming to achieve an annual comprehensive utilization volume of 4.5 billion tons of bulk solid waste by 2030. Liu Yunlong noted that currently, 40% of the mine’s gangue is backfilled underground. In the future, gangue from the coal preparation plant will also be sent underground for backfilling, achieving 100% underground disposal of gangue. Outside the dispatch center, a towering gangue-sorting building stands idle. Staff explained that it was the first manual sorting site for gangue brought to the surface. After years of operation, the building has now been shut down. "Once we fully resolve the gangue issue, the mining area’s environment will certainly improve," they added.
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