Ask Onix
Shanxi mine disaster kills 82, reviving memories of industry's deadly past
A methane explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province on May 22 became China's deadliest mining accident in over 15 years, claiming 82 lives and injuring more than 120. The tragedy underscores persistent safety gaps in an industry Beijing has tried to reform as it pivots toward renewable energy.
Decades of danger
Shanxi, the heart of China's coal sector, has long been synonymous with peril. Local sayings like "exchanging lives for money" reflect the grim reality of miners facing gas explosions, floods, and collapses. While fatalities dropped over 90% since 1990 due to stricter regulations, the Liushenyu blast proves risks remain.
"It was only a matter of time," said Chen, a former Liushenyu miner. "The tunnels are complex, and hidden dangers lurk everywhere."
Safety violations and systemic failures
Authorities revealed Tongzhou Group, the mine's operator, committed "serious illegal violations." State media reported unregistered workers, missing tracking devices, and secret tunnels-complicating rescue efforts. The mine had been flagged for hazards in 2024 and penalized twice in 2025.
A worker told Lengshan Record that tracking devices were banned to hide illegal mining. "Wearing them would expose it," he said.
"This accident should not have happened. Our safety systems are fully capable of preventing explosions."
Hong Chen, Jiangnan University professor
Coal's paradox: energy security vs. human cost
Despite China's green energy push-aiming for net-zero by 2060-coal remains its "ballast stone," supplying half of global output in 2024. Shanxi, producing 30% of China's coal, exemplifies this tension. While renewables expand, coal still powers 1.4 billion people, especially during crises like the Iran war's oil disruptions.
"Coal is shifting from growth engine to energy backstop," said Roc Shi, an energy economist at the University of Technology Sydney.
Economic lifeline or death trap?
For Shanxi's workers, mines offer few alternatives. "Apart from mining, there's little work here," said an electrician. Another miner called the blast a reminder of how "ordinary people's lives are wretched."
Chen, the ex-Liushenyu miner, lamented: "The state acts too late. Can the dead return?"
Reforms and reckoning
After the 2010 Wangjialing flood-where 115 were rescued-China shut thousands of unsafe mines and mechanized operations. Yet profits still tempt owners to cut corners. In the 1990s, bribes to officials fueled unsafe practices, with annual deaths averaging 5,853.
"Progress doesn't mean we can relax," warned Prof. Chen. As Beijing vows accountability, the Liushenyu disaster exposes coal's enduring human toll amid China's energy transition.
