Xinyuan Co, a subsidiary of Yangquan Coal Industry Group based in Yangquan city in North China's Shanxi province recently ushered in a 5G coal mine special network, which is the first one of its kind in China, according to local officials. 

With the completion of the 5G coal mine network, the data upload rate will be greatly increased to 800 Mbps with the transmission delay being less than 20 milliseconds. 

This can accurately, comprehensively and clearly obtain various safety production data and environmental videos for the underground coal mine, realize high-definition audio and video calls, fast transmissions of various data and remote intelligent control of equipment, according to the chairman of Xinyuan Co. 

China has ushered in the era of commercial use of 5G, while 5G underground mining is still a blank in the country and even the world. Shanxi province, a pilot region for comprehensive reform of the energy revolution, has launched a big initiative to introduce 5G technology to intelligent mining. 

In response to the initiative, Yangquan Coal Industry Group, China's largest hard coal producer, signed a cooperation agreement with China Mobile and Huawei on promoting 5G-based intelligent mining in September 2019. 

The Xinyuan Co's 5G coal mine network establishment is the group's move to explore the applications of the 5G network in coal mine communications, management, safety production and monitoring. 

The group will next apply 5G technology to more scenarios, realize automatic monitoring and real-time interconnections in underground mines and develop a benchmark project in 5G-based intelligent mining, officials said.