Text | “Liaowang” Newsweek reporter Yu Changhong Zhang Lina Wei Jingyu Wang Jing Hou Weiyi
On May 26, staff watering the vegetation restoration area of Heidaigou Open-pit Coal Mine, Zhungeer Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia. Photo by Beihe
◇In Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan and other areas, about one out of four lights is lit by Inner Mongolia
◇Using coal resources, from the extensive development of “digging and selling coal” to innovation-driven development and transformation
◇It is planned that all mines will meet the green mine construction standards by 2025, and realize “green will survive, not green will retreat”
◇Promote technological innovation in the coal field and optimization and upgrading of the industrial chain supply chain, and solve the power, vitality and competitiveness of the coal industry
Over the past 20 years of investigations into coal-related corruption, nearly a thousand cadres have stumbled, causing great shock among the cadres in Inner Mongolia.
“Digging and selling coal”, “One coal dominates”, “Unlucky coal”, “Talking about coal discoloration”… The dark coal seems to carry the original sin.
The coal abundant in Inner Mongolia provides the country with the necessary energy, but it is sullied by a pair of greedy hands.
Under the microscope, coal appears dazzling gold, cold blue, and deep gray. Ujin descaling and industry rectification facilitated us to re-understand the colorful coal.
From “big old rough” to “fine”
Speaking of coal and coal bosses, people often label them as “silly, big and black.” “Coarse” coal is actually very “fine”-known as the “fine grain” of industry.
The coal train departs from Inner Mongolia and heads to all parts of the country; the high-voltage power grid crosses mountains and ridges to send coal power resources to cities and towns, factories, and thousands of households… The rich “Wujin” resources in Inner Mongolia provide source of power for the country’s economic development. In areas such as Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan 500 kilometers away, about one in four lights is lit by Inner Mongolia.
The grasslands of Inner Mongolia are well-developed, with frequent magma activities and good mineralization conditions. Therefore, coal and other mineral resources are abundant. Since the country began to invest in geological prospecting work, Inner Mongolia’s cumulative proven coal resources have exceeded one trillion tons, ranking first in the country. It has a wide distribution of coal resources, large reserves, and a complete range of coal types. Therefore, it is known as the hometown of “open-pit coal mines”. Eleven of the 12 league cities in the district have coal mines, and there are 523 coal mines, which are important energy guarantee bases in my country.
For a long time, the utilization of coal resources in Inner Mongolia has only stayed at the extensive development stage of “digging and selling coal”. It is now undergoing a development transition from energy-driven to innovation-driven.
Dalu, a sparsely populated small village on the bank of the Yellow River in Ordos City, has now undergone changes due to the development of modern energy economy. A modern coal chemical industrial park is located here. There are more than 80 industrial projects such as coal-to-methanol and coal-to-oil. In 2020, the total industrial output value will reach 52.122 billion yuan.
The coal chemical production project in the Dalu Industrial Park is like a “magic’s golden finger”, step by step processing of coal into food cling film, plastic water cups and other products. Coal becomes a raw material, and colorful products are produced, realizing the transition of coal products from low-end to high-end.
More than ten kilometers away from Dalu Industrial Park, is the Tangjiahui Mining Area of Zhungeer Coal Field, one of the five largest open-pit coal mines in the country. Standing on the mountain and looking far away, the endless loess plateau ran into your eyes.
Unexpectedly, under the thick loess plateau, there is a world-leading coal chemical technology. At the end of October 2019, a 28-meter high torch was lit on the loess plateau in the Tangjiahui mining area. The raging flame sends a firm signal—the fourth-generation underground coal gasification technology industrialization demonstration project is underway here.
“The ground seems calm, but underground coal resources are actually being burned and gasified. From underground coal to synthesis gas, all processes are completed underground.” said Wang Chuanmin, general manager of Inner Mongolia Zhongwei Coal Gasification Technology Co., Ltd., “the torch is connected below the torch. Following the exit of the product well of the underground gasifier, the synthesis gas produced by the underground gasifier is continuously exported to the ground through the product well.”
Underground coal gasification technology can produce low-cost industrial gas and chemical synthesis raw material gas without the need for excavation and mining, and without the need for workers to go underground. The fourth-generation underground coal gasification technology, which is undergoing industrialization demonstration, is most suitable for gasification and utilization of coal seams with a buried depth of less than 1,000 meters and high-ash, high-sulfur, low-calorie and inferior coal resources that are not suitable for mining, and can greatly improve coal. Resource utilization.
Yilat, deputy director of the Ordos Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, said that the predatory development of coal resources in the past few decades has not fully demonstrated the added value of coal resources. Although it promotes local economic development for a while, it is easy to produce development inertia and delay economic transformation.
On May 26, the staff inspected bagged polypropylene in the packaging workshop of Jiutai Energy Inner Mongolia Co., Ltd.Photograph by Beh
In recent years, Inner Mongolia has worked hard to change the extensive resource development model, strengthen the clean and efficient conversion of coal, promote the transformation of coal from fuel to raw material, accelerate the development of modern coal chemical industries such as coal to oil and gas, olefins, and ethylene glycol, and build a complete range of modern coal in the country. Chemical production base.
The refined development of the coal industry requires not only the transformation of production methods and technological innovation, but also the standardized operation of the market.
Man-made bargaining, cumbersome procedures, and irregular transactions… The once “barbaric growth” of the coal market, asymmetry in information, and unequal transactions, left “holes” for the collusion between government and business to disrupt market order. In recent years, with the rapid advancement of digital and information technology, coal trading methods have also changed. New methods such as online trading, online freight, price index release and big data services have made coal trading more transparent and convenient.
Since the Inner Mongolia Coal Trading Center went online in 2013, more than 5,000 members have shared the convenience brought by the new business format. As of the end of the first quarter of 2021, the Inner Mongolia Coal Trading Center has completed a total of 725 million tons of transactions, with a transaction volume of 152.1 billion yuan. This trading center is one of the shareholders of the National Coal Trading Center. The platform service system includes comprehensive functional network technology systems such as energy bulk spot trading, energy chemical product trading, energy industrial equipment trading, transportation capacity trading, and price index. “By building an open, fair and sunny sharing trading environment, standardizing transaction behavior, improving transaction efficiency, and reducing transaction costs.” Wen Lin, chairman of the Inner Mongolia Coal Trading Center, said that the platform reduces costs for traders by an average of 3%, and the transaction performance rate exceeds 90%.
This is a logistics cloud platform built by the Inner Mongolia Coal Trading Center. (Photo taken on May 27th) Photo by Beh
From “staining” to “greening”
The “previous life” of coal was once a green plant.
Millions of years ago, the branches, leaves and rhizomes of plants accumulated on the ground to form thick humus, which was continuously buried in the ground with the changes of the earth’s crust. They were isolated from the air for a long time, and under high temperature and pressure, through a series of complex physical and chemical changes, formed Combustible sedimentary rocks.
The “this life” of coal once supported the rapid development of my country’s economy and society.
However, in the past few decades, we have encountered crazy private digging and illegal mining. For many years, we have produced polluted “GDP” for local governments. Nearly a thousand cadres fell into the coal piles and left lessons. The grasslands are full of holes. Become Wujin’s eternal death.
With the in-depth advancement of special rectification, the restoration action plan is being rolled out one after another.
In early summer, on both sides of the hardened road in the Baiyinhua Coal and Electricity Mining Area of Xiwuzhumuqin Banner, Xilin Gol League, Pinus sylvestris stand proudly like guards, and the young leaves of poplar trees grow. The old mining area, which used to be “gray-headed and earth-faced”, now has “flowers in three seasons and green in four seasons”. Baiyinhua Coal and Electricity Company started the construction of green mines, and initially built landscape dumps and grassland ecological dumps. The area of mine management has been 8,252 mu, and the vegetation coverage rate has reached more than 85%.
Vegetation Recovery Zone of Heidaigou Open-pit Coal Mine, Zhungeer Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia. (Photo taken on May 26) Photo by Beh
Guo Suyu, the person in charge of the mining area, has been dealing with coal all his life. “In the past, in many small open-pit mines, people left after digging and leaving a pit, leaving many unowned mines in the grassland. Now when coal is dug out, the mining area must be protected. , This requirement has become a hard constraint.”
Today, Inner Mongolia firmly establishes the concept of green development and implements the most stringent ecological and environmental protection system. From autonomous regions to league cities and banner counties, a series of supporting policies escort the construction of green mines. In 2019, the “Mine Geological Environment Governance and Recovery Fund Management Measures (for Trial Implementation)” was issued, requiring mining companies to set up fund accounts and withdraw funds on an annual basis for mine geological environment governance and restoration, land reclamation and management and protection projects.
In 2020, the Standing Committee of the Ordos City People’s Congress passed the “Ordos City Green Mine Construction Management Regulations”, which is the country’s first local regulation on the management of green mine construction. The regulations focus on the coal industry and provide separate provisions for the development and utilization of mineral resources and energy conservation and emission reduction, mine environmental protection and ecological restoration, mine modernization and harmonious mining area construction.
“With policy guidance and technical support, the construction of green mines is steadily advancing in the city.” Su Haixia, deputy director of the Ecological Rehabilitation Section of the Ordos Natural Resources Bureau, said that at present 149 mines in the city have been announced as green mines, including 117 coal mines and 32 mines. Non-coal mines, publicly built green mines account for 32% of the district.
The construction of green mines greatly enhances the “face value” of the mine. In the open-pit mining area of Shenhua North Electric Shengli Energy Co., Ltd., located in the north of Xilinhot City, more than 6000 saplings newly planted in 2020 will refurbish the exposed mining area. This year, the mining area will continue to carry out large-scale ecological management projects, and strive to become an urban park, a leisure park for employees, and a mining culture and technology park.
Ecological restoration pays more attention to “connotation”. Under the guidance of ecological big data, the Mengcao ecological mine restoration team applied native plants to comprehensively manage the Wuyoute Coal Mine, Hesigeulan South Open-pit Coal Mine, and Shengli West No. 2 Open-pit Coal Mine in Xilinguole League. The ecological environment has shown continuous improvement. situation.
The Huaneng Yimin Open-pit Mine, located in the Hulunbuir Prairie, adopts green mining technology and exploration of soil improvement and other reclamation and greening technologies to realize the efficient recycling of coal, electricity, water, ash and soil, and gradually establish a “grassland ecological restoration” in Hulunbeier area. Yimin Mode”.
At present, Inner Mongolia is unswervingly following a new path of high-quality development with ecological priority and green development oriented. In December 2020, Inner Mongolia announced that the remaining coal mines, wind power, and photovoltaic projects in the core area of the grassland have expired, and all coal mines in the nature reserve are closed. Wind power and photovoltaic power plants are located in the desert, coal mining subsidence area, and open-pit mine dumps. , The border areas. According to relevant personnel from the Department of Natural Resources of Inner Mongolia, Inner Mongolia plans to meet the green mine construction standards in all mines by 2025, and realize that “green will survive, not green will retreat”.
From “manual mining” to “5G+”
Wearing a clean white shirt, sitting in the control room and staring at the data changes on the screen, with a click of the mouse from time to time, the pressure data of 126 hydraulic supports and the real-time position of the underground coal shearer are monitored through the mobile phone in real time… This is the city of Ordos. The daily life of Liu Binjie, a “post-95” miner in Longwanggou Mine of Yuanyuan Mining Development Co., Ltd. This super-large coal mine of 10 million tons level has realized precise geological protection, intelligent coal mining, intelligent tunneling, and intelligent water detection and drainage.
More than ten years ago, the miners “pin their heads to their belts” went down the mine, and digging for coal with their hands and shoulders in the dark underground. All day long, their face, hands, and clothes were dark, and they were always at risk of gas, water seepage, and collapse. Accompany.
Inner Mongolia has a large number of mining enterprises and high security risks, and there is a strong demand for the development of integration with the new generation of information technology.
The Madiliang Coal Mine is a typical representative of Inner Mongolia’s key support for the construction of 5G+ smart mines for mining enterprises. In 2021, Madiliang Coal Mine has proposed a new smart mine upgrade plan: complete 5G communication docking of mobile equipment such as coal mining machines, roadheaders, belt conveyor inspection robots, and unmanned rubber-tyred vehicles; further improve the smart mining system Construction, to create a typical model and application scenario of well-governing and smart mines that can be replicated and promoted, and continue to contribute to the construction of smart mines.
On May 25th, Tang Xiangli, a dispatcher from the Madiliang Coal Mine in Zhungeer Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, checked the underground operations through the intelligent dispatch system.Photograph by Beh
The rapid development of modern technology has already “changed the world” for coal production. “Coal mining has entered an era of competitive technology.” Li Hongbin, general manager of the coal production management department of Inner Mongolia Yitai Coal Co., Ltd., said that mechanization and automation have greatly increased production capacity, and information construction has promoted safe and efficient coal production.
The annual output of coal in Ordos accounts for one-sixth of the country. However, with the increase of coal mining years, some coal mines in the Ordos mining area are about to enter the era of thin seam mining. The mining of thin coal seams with a thickness of less than 1.3 meters generally has problems such as high cost, low yield and high labor intensity.
Yitai Group has carried out research on intelligent mining technology for thin coal seams, and has developed intelligent mining technology for fully mechanized thin coal seams. This technology has been successfully applied in Baoshan Coal Mine, achieving less humanized mining in 1.1-1.3m thin coal seams, and improving the intelligent level of fully mechanized mining faces.
Li Hongbin said that the intelligent mining of thin coal seams has functions such as shearer memory cutting coal, hydraulic support automatic follow-up, personnel perception positioning, remote one-key start and stop, etc. The manual intervention rate is less than 20%, and the production efficiency has increased by 40%. While reducing the labor intensity of workers, it also improved the recovery rate of coal resources and the coefficient of safe production.
Today, the development of the coal industry is gradually moving towards refinement, greenness and intelligence, and the future can be expected.
This is a coal-carrying vehicle taken at the Madiliang Coal Mine in Zhungeer Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia on May 25.Photograph by Beh
Inner Mongolia’s unique advantage lies in its high-quality and abundant coal resources. At present, how to truly take advantage of coal, re-stimulate the warm current of the entire industry, and finally return to a reasonable, stable and long-term development track, has become a must-answer question in front of the economic development of Inner Mongolia.
To solve the power, vitality and competitiveness of the coal industry, we must base ourselves on drawing a new blueprint for the country’s important energy and strategic resource bases, promote technological innovation in the coal field and optimize and upgrade the industrial chain supply chain, and truly address the impact of resource advantages. The deep-seated contradiction of play. At the same time, it is necessary not only to solve the current coal supply and demand tensions through short-term measures, but also to start from the long-term, reform the property rights system, resource management system, price system, market transaction system, and performance evaluation system to promote the development and utilization of coal resources. System Innovation.
Only in this way can the coal-based “industry tree” continue to innovate and flourish.
Editor in charge: Shi Yi and Li Guodong