Huainan Mining Group Innovation Exhibition Hall

Huainan Mining Group Innovation Exhibition Hall

The Huainan Mining Group Innovation Exhibition Hall is a patriotic education base.

The Huainan Mining Group Innovation Exhibition Hall is affiliated with Huainan Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. and functions as a comprehensive educational exhibition platform that highlights the history of coal mining in the Huainan mining area and the culture of coal mine safety technology. Centered around the innovative development history of Huainan Coal Mine, the exhibition adopts a chronological format and thematic organization to provide a panoramic record of the century-long development of Huainan Coal Mine. It showcases recent achievements, visits by Party and state leaders to the Huainan mining area, as well as technological innovations and academic accomplishments. The exhibition deeply explores the culture of Huainan Coal Mine, adding historical depth to the cultural heritage of Huainan City.

The exhibition hall is located in Juricun, Datong District, Huainan City, Anhui Province. It was completed and put into use on July 1, 2014, and is managed on a daily basis by the National Engineering Technology Research Institute of Coal Mining, which is part of Huainan Mining Group. Covering an area of approximately 400 square meters, the exhibition primarily uses photo displays, supplemented by sand tables, models, audiovisual materials, and other formats. The exhibition is divided into four sections: “Historical Evolution,” “Century Foundation,” “Warm Concern,” and “Light of Science and Technology.”

— Historical Evolution. Huainan Coal Mine began operations in 1903 and has a history of 113 years, making it one of the longest-operating mining areas in China. Huainan City was established because of the mine. In the 1970s, with large-scale development of coal resources, Huainan gradually grew and became one of the first group of “relatively large cities” in the country. The Historical Evolution section documents in detail the discovery and development trajectory of the Huainan coalfield, recounts the founding processes of Datong Coal Mine and Jiulonggang Coal Mine, the Huainan Coal Mine during the Nationalist government period, and how, after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, through two construction booms in 1949–1964 and 1973–2001, Huainan Coal Mine became one of the country’s “Eight Major Coal Bases.”

— Century Foundation. Centered on the theme of innovative development, this section recreates how, starting in 2002, Huainan Mining Group implemented the development strategy of “building large mines, operating large power plants, and engaging in capital management.” Following the standards of “domestic leadership and international excellence,” the group constructed a group of 10-million-ton-level mines featuring modern equipment, automated systems, and information-based management. It took the lead in establishing a national coal-power base and creating the “Ruhr of the East.” Huainan Mining Group has gradually developed into a modern energy enterprise with a diversified structure encompassing coal, electricity, logistics, real estate, and technical services.

— Warm Concern. This section records in photos the genuine moments when older-generation Party and state leaders such as Deng Xiaoping, Li Xiannian, and Nie Rongzhen visited Huainan Coal Mine, as well as the heartfelt care shown by leaders including Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping in the new era.

— Light of Science and Technology. The Huainan coalfield is one of the most geologically complex coalfields in China, facing severe threats from various types of disasters. The people of Huainan Coal Mine have persisted in scientific and technological innovation. To address the challenges posed by complex geological conditions, they have long been committed to solving the world-class problems of safe and efficient coal mining. This has resulted in a large number of safety and efficiency mining technologies with independent intellectual property rights and internationally leading standards. These efforts have built a safety technology culture unique to Huainan Coal Mine and yielded fruitful scientific and technological achievements in areas such as coal mine gas control, roadway surrounding rock control, rapid shaft sinking through deep alluvium, and mine cooling.

Since its establishment, the Huainan Mining Group Innovation Exhibition Hall has received visits and exchanges from officials and scholars of foreign government departments and renowned research institutions, including the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation of Australia, and the Polish Academy of Sciences. It has also hosted visits from domestic government departments such as Anhui Province, the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, the State Administration of Work Safety, and the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, as well as from well-known domestic research institutions such as the China Academy of Engineering Physics, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Shandong University. Additionally, it has welcomed leaders and guests from peer enterprises in China’s coal industry. Moreover, the exhibition hall holds an annual “Science and Technology Open Day” event for primary, middle, and high school students across the province, aiming to inspire young students to respect science, engage with knowledge, and love learning. According to incomplete statistics, the exhibition hall has received nearly 5,000 visitors since its opening. Its modern exhibition methods, strong sense of historical depth, and awe-inspiring technological innovations have left a profound impression on all visitors.

The Huainan Mining Group Innovation Exhibition Hall is not only a window for Huainan Mining Group to engage with the outside world but also a valuable asset for the people of Huainan Coal Mine to draw strength and inspiration from. It encapsulates the long history of coal mining in the Huainan mining area, records the brilliant achievements of generations of engineering and technical professionals who dedicated themselves to research, engraves the ambitious spirit of Huainan Coal Miners striving to support the nation’s economic and social development, showcases the new reform and development achievements of Huainan Coal Miners in seizing opportunities and daring to innovate in the new era, and provides the deepest interpretation of Huainan’s reputation as the “Industrial Granary of East China.”