Scars of Mining Healed With Green Technology

Daye city, a major iron and copper producer in China’s Hubei province, has repurposed abandoned mines into sustainable energy hubs. The Baosheng mining pit near Songwan village was converted into a green hydrogen and solar energy facility by Lyuye Hydrogen Energy Co. The project, launched three years ago with an investment of 178 million yuan ($26.1 million), now produces 1,650 short tons of hydrogen annually using solar power and repurposed mine shafts as storage caverns. The initiative leverages the mine’s three-dimensional terrain, with solar panels installed on mountain slopes and the factory built on leveled land. Zhou Hua, general manager of Lyuye Hydrogen Energy, noted the project turns idle resources into developmental assets. The facility generated 266 million kilowatt-hours of solar electricity last year, contributing an estimated annual output value of 2 billion yuan to the local economy. A similar model is being replicated in Pingshan village, where a 76-acre quarry was rehabilitated by Hubei Bohai Bio Holding Group. The project reduced the mountainside slope from 820 feet to 260 feet, shutting down 10 polluting companies and restoring the land into flat, green industrial space. He Jianjun, general manager of Pingfeng Resources Development, stated the wasteland was transformed into valuable land by the end of 2020. Since 2012, Daye has closed over 500 mines and remediated more than 70 sites, with nearly 99.8% of historical abandoned mines restored. The city’s approach combines environmental recovery with economic growth, turning former mining scars into sustainable energy and industrial assets. Authorities emphasize the dual benefit of restoring ecosystems while supporting local development.