Miners benefit as industry gets smart

Immediate warnings

At the Jiangzhuang Coal Mine in Zaozhuang, water levels in different areas of the pit are monitored through a video surveillance system. Constant seepage from rock formations results in water accumulating, which could cause flooding.

Yu, from the Shandong Administration of Energy, said, "It's difficult to monitor workers and machinery around-the-clock, but the smart system can help with this and send immediate warnings to us."

At the Baodian Coal Mine in Jining, which is owned by the Yanzhou Coal Mining Co, part of the Shandong Energy Group, an underground 5G network is in operation.

Niu Qingjun, a shift leader working at the coalface where the system is installed, said the new network's high-speed transmission enables workers on the surface to control mining equipment over 500 meters underground with more precision than previously.

The network is resistant to explosions and damp, Niu said, adding, "It can also resist electromagnetic interference caused by equipment used in the mine."

In Shanxi, the Yangquan Coal Industry Group installed a 5G network at one of its mines in May.

Wang Guofa, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said: "The 5G network is the new highway for smart mining. It is ushering in a total revolution for the ancient industry of mining."