Vertical: Mining
Application: Underground automation, remote equipment control, safety monitoring, inspection robotics, production optimization
Ecosystem: Huawei, China Mobile
Private Network: 5G
The Xinyan Coal Mine in Lvliang, Shanxi Province, China, demonstrates how private 5G networks can replace complex cable infrastructure while delivering substantial operational improvements in underground mining.
Dongyi Group Coal Gasification Company ascribes a 50% reduction in manpower requirements and a 10% increase in production efficiency – which translates to more than $1 million in annual cost savings – at its Xinyan coal mine in Lvliang (Shanxi), China, to private 5G-enabled digitization and automation of underground mining operations.
The mine spans 19.6 square kilometers with an annual capacity of 2.4 million tonnes. Adopting 5G in August 2020, the facility achieved full underground coverage through China Mobile and Huawei, supporting nine core production systems and replacing traditional cabling infrastructure.
Five 5G inspection robots monitor critical systems including belt conveyors, substations, winches, and chairlifts both above and below ground. These automated systems reduce human exposure to hazardous areas while providing consistent monitoring coverage.
Remote control capabilities allow workers to operate mining vehicles and equipment from safe locations. This capability enabled the mine to reduce staffing at the mining face to 65 workers, achieving the significant manpower reduction while keeping personnel away from dangerous underground environments.
The technical solution uses Huawei’s architecture, combining private network control with public infrastructure. An emergency control plane deployed locally maintains operations even when disconnected from the central network, ensuring mining continuity during network interruptions.
The “kite-like” architecture maintains dedicated connections between central and edge sites. When disruptions occur, services automatically switch to the on-premises emergency control plane, providing high availability for production systems critical in underground environments where failures can halt operations.
Implementation began in 2020 when Xinyan became among China’s first smart mine pilot projects. The plug-and-play 5G infrastructure enabled rapid deployment, while multiple security tiers ensure sensitive operational data remains contained within the campus environment.
