DATONG, China (AP) — When Yang Haiming reached retirement age at 60 after decades in coal mining, he didn’t slow down. Instead, he launched himself into an entirely different field.
Yang represents a generation of laborers who fueled China’s economic expansion by extracting coal from deep underground mines in Datong, a city recognized as China’s coal capital located in northern Shanxi province. Today, as China shifts its focus toward renewable energy sources instead of coal, Yang has gotten ahead of the transformation that his former colleagues are now being compelled to navigate.
He currently operates a restaurant serving lamb skewers to tourists who visit the Yungang Grottoes, an important historical site from the 6th century featuring Buddhist stone carvings in caves that attracts millions of annual visitors.
If Shanxi province operated as an independent nation, it would rank as the globe’s largest coal producer. Its approximately 800,000 miners extracted 1.3 billion tons in 2025, representing nearly one-third of China’s total coal output. Several million additional workers hold positions that depend indirectly on coal, spanning from transportation to food service. The province faces significant transformation as China expands renewable energy at such a rapid pace that it satisfied almost all of the country’s increased power demand last year, while developing tourism has become a primary objective.
Specialists emphasize the importance of ensuring coal workers aren’t abandoned during this transition — a concern for many.
“It doesn’t feel like money’s coming into this industry,” said Zhou Hongfei, a coal miner.
Following the standard practice for China’s state-owned enterprises, the coal company constructed Yang’s village directly adjacent to the mine — designated No. 9 — where residents would be employed. The location once buzzed with thousands of workers and their families, featuring a school, daycare facility, and sports complex. An elevated railway line runs through the area to transport coal throughout the country.
Currently, the No. 9 mine functions primarily as a museum, although one section remains operational. The school stands vacant with locked gates. Many of the low-rise apartment buildings are only partially occupied, often housing people drawn by affordable rent rather than miners.
Yang remembers profitable times before nearby villages were demolished.
“There were so many people, especially during the new year days,” he said. “It was crowded everywhere. Now the bustling scenes have gone, and so has the feeling.”
Those who remained, like Yang, have attempted to profit from visitors to the Yungang Grottoes. During a visit by Associated Press reporters, one retired coal miner walked the streets engaging in conversations hoping to attract customers to his noodle restaurant. Primarily elderly residents strolled the streets, enjoying the sunshine.
Yang belongs to the small group of workers who have successfully made a career change.
There are many “who don’t know what to do, who say they don’t have the right skill sets for anyone else. All they know is to be a coal miner, or the easiest fallback option is for them to go back to farming,” said Tom Wang, a Shanxi native, environmental activist and founder of People of Asia for Climate Solutions.
Zhou, 36, mentioned considering a move to tourism but was unsure how to proceed. He also worries about providing for his wife and 8-year-old daughter.
“To really be able to make contact with and then switch into a new industry is very hard, and the truth is, I don’t dare,” he said. “If you leave this industry, you don’t know if it’ll work out. Can I adapt? And what if this ends up being a burden for my family?”
Mining salaries fluctuate with market demand. Before Yang’s retirement eight years ago, he could earn up to 10,000 renminbi (approximately $1,450) during profitable months. He reports that his restaurant now generates higher income.
The province is working to cultivate various alternative industries, from investing in coal-to-hydrogen initiatives to promoting its local “youmai,” an oat variety that residents use to create a distinctive type of noodles.
However, Shanxi’s primary emphasis and greatest achievement for post-coal life has been tourism. Hang Kan, who leads the Yungang Research Institute overseeing the grottoes and serves as a representative in the National People’s Congress, last year advocated for accelerating development of the culture and tourism sector into “a strategic pillar” that “promotes people’s welfare” in Shanxi.
His statements followed the popular video game Black Myth: Wukong, where the main character explores the grottoes and numerous surrounding locations, creating a surge in visitors. The total increased to 4.5 million in 2024, rising from 3 million the previous year, according to state media.
Yan Jiali, a tour guide in the area, reported that this boom has generated increased interest in positions like hers, which requires passing a government examination to obtain licensing.
“Even my mom’s friends would come ask me about taking this test,” she said.
Wang, the activist, hopes that the high-technology industries now receiving national priority will assist Shanxi’s transition by creating employment opportunities. After all, he noted, the province’s coal powered China’s development into an economic giant.
“What if DeepSeek comes over to Shanxi and says, OK, we will start a data center here? What if Baidu comes over to Shanxi?” he said, referencing China’s domestic technology companies.
Few believe Shanxi can completely abandon coal mining. Experts view coal as an essential backup for China’s security requirements, and the Iran war has again demonstrated how susceptible energy supply networks are to interruptions.
The government recently refused to establish limits on coal usage, stepping back from its pledge to gradually decrease coal consumption, according to analysts at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
“The confidence hasn’t grown to the point where they can entirely depend on renewable energy,” said Qi Qin, an analyst at CREA.
Actually, China has continued expanding coal power facilities on a massive scale, activating 78 gigawatts in 2025, exceeding what India accomplished in an entire decade. One gigawatt can supply power to approximately 320,000 Chinese households annually.
Even if demand remains stable, workers must also consider that their mines may become depleted. Some of the older mining operations in Datong are approaching the end of their productive life. When this occurs, workers can be transferred to other mines that might be distant and offer lower compensation.
Another coal mine employee, Xu, has secured a second position as a ride-share driver, spending roughly 5 hours daily driving after completing his primary job. Xu — who refused to provide his complete name due to concerns about consequences from the state-owned mine — expressed doubt that the advantages of industries replacing coal would be distributed fairly, whether tourism or renewable energy.
“This tourism industry, how do I get in there?” he asked. “For Datong, those who can enjoy the benefits of this tourism boom, it’s mostly the big hotels and maybe some restaurants, noodle shops, but what do you think regular people can get?”
