Mountains of unsold coal are heaped along a roadside near a closed colliery pit in Fangshan district. ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY
The last remaining private coalmines in Beijing might have closed, but former workers say they are stranded in ghost villages standing on dangerously fragile ground, with zero prospects for the next generation.
A plan to close all private coalmines in Beijing, located mainly in Fangshan and Mentougou districts, was initiated in August 2005 by the State Council and Beijing municipal government. Officials from the two districts told METRO on Monday that they have now closed the remaining 24 private coalmines.
During the six-year project, which completes at the end of June, as many as 445 private coalmines were closed.
The effort was jointly aimed at restoring the city's natural ecosystem and lowering the accident rate at mines nationwide.
A cement wall blocks the entrance to Xinqiao coalmine, the last private coalmine in Da'anshan town in Fangshan district, which was closed at the end of April.
"There used to be more than 20 coalmines in the village just a decade ago," said a man surnamed Wang in his 70s.
Wang, who worked the mine 30 years ago, said his son, Wang Wenxiu, was the last local employee of Xinqiao coalmine.
"My son did not even finish primary school," he said. "Now all he can do is raise pigs for a living with my daughter-in-law."
Wang said most of the former mineworkers were from Hebei and Sichuan provinces, but they left when the mines closed.
Xinqiao coalmine was once circled by housing reserved for miners. Now, only dilapidated homes and rubble remain.
"These houses were built just two or three years ago by the mine owner, but were dismantled when the mine closed," said a villager in her 50s, surnamed Zhang, who said she worked the pit from the age of 18.
"They were such lovely houses, kept neat by the 60 workers. What a pity."
Zhang said she also once owned a coalmine with her husband, but it was forced to close in 2005.
"My husband continued his profession as a mineworker in the State-owned Da'anshan coal mine, but all I can do is plant vegetables," she said.
Zhang said she was offered roughly 10,000 yuan from the local government to relocate off the mountain when her mine was closed down.
"It was far too little to afford an apartment in the city," she said.
Zhang said many villagers have moved out of the mountainous area to more urbanized sections of Fangshan district, out of fear that their homes are sitting on unstable ground after decades of mining.
"There are cracks in the mountain. In some areas, it is impossible to guess whether it is stable or not," Zhang said.
"A few of us stayed behind because our houses appear solid."
Another villager, surnamed Yang, in his 60s, said he has worked in the industry for more than 10 years.
He claims to have been a pioneer in his village for setting up coalmines, quickly earning the title of "Millionaire Yang" from other villagers.
"But now I raise goats and plant vegetables for a living. How many millionaires do that?" he asked.
The destruction of the ground runs parallel with the death of the industry as coal processing factories, which once employed scores of locals, also stand empty.
"Coalmines have been closed and I predict this factory will soon be too," said a worker, who asked not to be named, in the only factory still in operation in Da'anshan town.
"I don't know where to go or what I can do," he said.
The only mine still in operation in Da'anshan town is the State-owned Da'anshan coal mine.
"It is possible this mine will also be closed soon," said a security guard surnamed Li at the mine.
