Since the beginning of this year, the coal market has remained sluggish, with the supply-demand relationship continuing to deteriorate. As a result, thermal coal prices have plummeted by half, leaving major coal companies deeply mired in losses. Many coal enterprises are facing challenges such as declining net profits, difficulties in recovering funds, and severe cash-flow shortages. The issues of difficulty and high cost in financing for coal companies have become particularly prominent.

　　Facing coal prices “ Climbing cliff-style ” The decline has left the current survival situation of coal enterprises deeply worrying! Major coal companies are mired in losses and unable to extricate themselves. After experiencing... “ The Golden Decade ” After , Coal industry since 2012 Turned downward starting from the year. , The price keeps dropping and dropping. , The scope of losses continues to expand. , Coal companies that were once flush with wealth are now struggling to get by. , The phenomena of delayed, reduced, and underpaid wages have increased significantly. …… People can't help but ask: :“ What’s really going on with the coal industry? ”

　　Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong, and other regions are China's major coal-producing areas. , By surveying the heads of several coal enterprises and industry regulatory authorities, , We can delve deeply into the reasons behind the coal industry’s predicament and explore paths to overcoming it.

　　 When black gold turns into cabbage. The survival situation of coal companies is cause for serious concern.

　　A reporter from the Economic Daily, citing a local coal transportation official in Inner Mongolia, said that traditionally... “ Natural refined coal ” The Yitai Dadi Jing Coal Mine, once renowned for its bustling outbound shipments, now can quickly load a truck in just ten minutes. It is reported that Yitai Group’s annual per capita coal production is nearly 10,000 tons. There’s a saying within the industry: , If all of Yitai’s highly efficient, intensive mine clusters are operating at a loss. , It’s a fact that the coal divisions of other companies find it difficult to turn a profit. , Based on cost and price accounting , Itai ton coal 15 Already at a loss by year-end. 25 Yuan.

　　Similarly, the Hongliulin Coal Mine of Shennan Mining Company, Shaanxi Coal Industry & Chemical Group, also presents a rather desolate scene. Party Yingqiang, the mine’s head, stated that the level of mechanization at the Hongliulin Coal Mine is... 95% The above , Its technology and management are no less impressive than those of leading coal companies in Europe and the U.S. However, at Hongliulin, the price of coal mined directly from the pit is now so low that it’s even lower than the price of sand found on nearby riverbanks.

　　Coal prices plummeted. , Eating into corporate profits. Cao Zhong, the mine manager of Daizhuang Coal Mine under Shandong Energy Zibo Mining Group, said that in the past, miners all looked forward to becoming mine managers. Now, however, they face tremendous operational pressure. , Many mine managers are eager to resign. Zhu Lixin, Chairman of Shandong Feikuang Group, also pointed out that the industry is in the depths of winter. , Problems that have accumulated over the years have been fully exposed. , Living beyond one's means , The enterprise is almost “ Bare winter ”。

　　In Shanxi, this year’s temperatures are lower than in previous years. Accompanying the cold weather is a sluggish coal economy in Shanxi. At present, Shanxi’s coal industry is experiencing unprecedented and profound hardship.

　　Data collected from China Coal Resource Network show that, 10 At the end of the month, the asset-liability ratio of Shanxi's nine major groups reached... 79% As for profit, 1-10 In the current month, the profits of the five major groups all declined to varying degrees compared to the same period last year, with an average decline. 71% The decline has further widened. Among them, Yangmei and Jincheng Coal Group saw declines as high as... 78.2% 、 78.0% 。

　　Li Yongping, the secretary of the board at Shanxi Tongmei Group, said that, affected by the current sluggish market, the group’s general manager, deputy general managers, and most administrative staff have all gone out to sell coal.

　　During the survey, many heads of coal enterprises unanimously agreed that... , Overcapacity is making the coal industry increasingly difficult. The rapid expansion of coal enterprises... , It has also enabled overseas coal companies to see opportunities in the Chinese market. During this period, , Coal companies in countries such as Australia and the United States have also built many new mines. , Aimed at increasing coal supply to the Chinese market.

　　However, , However, global coal market demand has begun to shrink steadily. Major economies are still undergoing adjustments. , Reduced energy demand ; The pace of optimizing the global energy structure is accelerating. , Reducing fossil fuel consumption has become a major trend.

　　Zhai Deyuan, Deputy General Manager of Yitai Investment Co., Ltd., stated: , There is currently a misperception regarding the long-term development of the coal industry. , The plan does not match the actual situation. , Insufficient control over the capacity-building process. , Lack of foresight. Currently , China's coal production capacity utilization rate is... 78.6%, In a state of oversupply.

　　In fact , Relevant national authorities have long recognized the issue of overcapacity in coal production. , and attempts to adjust the supply-demand relationship by limiting production. However, , The implementation of production restriction measures has not been smooth. Regarding the limitation of overcapacity production... , The effectiveness of policy implementation is also not obvious.

　　A coal mine manager stated that coal enterprises are producing beyond their capacity. , Or, output not only doesn't decrease but actually increases. , Also, local governments’ one-sided pursuit of GDP is closely related to the view of political achievements. Currently, “ First expand production, then submit for approval. ” This practice is quite common in the industry.

　　 In the face of adversity Coal companies can only see spring if they undergo a transformation.

　　Under the current circumstances, whether it’s marketing innovation... , Still cost control. , None of them can help coal enterprises escape their difficulties in the short term. , On the contrary, businesses generally feel they’ve run out of options. Meanwhile, some enterprises seem to be... “ Self-help ”, Actually, it's used. “ Self-harm ” This approach lays hidden dangers for industrial development. For example: , Some companies are emphasizing cost reduction. , As a result, even investments in safe production are being cut back. A senior official from a state-owned coal company stated: , Currently, there is less and less room to further reduce controllable costs.

　　In addition, the survey found that some enterprises... “ When one is ill for a long time, one tends to seek medical help indiscriminately. ”, Blindly pursuing diversified operations. Xu Zhaobing, Party Secretary of the Coal Bureau of Tai'an City, Shandong Province, pointed out. , Some coal companies’ newly launched non-coal projects have low technological content and employ a large number of people. , The result ended up being inefficient, ineffective, and idle assets. , Bearing an even heavier burden.

　　So then , Where exactly lies the way forward for the coal industry? The coal industry has now reached a critical juncture. , If decisive measures that address both the symptoms and root causes are not taken, , The risk of the industry's predicament escalating into an industry crisis will significantly increase. , It will also have an undeniably negative impact on social stability.

　　Treat the symptoms , The most urgent task is to stabilize coal prices as soon as possible. Many heads of coal enterprises stated: , Coal prices have fallen to such a low level. , Has already shattered market confidence. , It has disrupted normal production patterns. In the short term, we need to help the coal industry break free from its predicament. , We must seize the key factor of price. , Issue “ Electric coal protection price ” Policy , Streamline the balance between coal power and other energy sources. Secondly, we need to reduce the burden on enterprises.

　　Treat the root cause , The key is to view and address issues with a developmental perspective. The coal industry must achieve sustained and healthy operations. , The fundamental solution still lies in reform and development. , Accelerate transformation and upgrading. The coal industry must truly tap into new growth areas for coal consumption. , Find new growth areas and profit margins. , Rely on reform and development to resolve contradictions and problems in industrial operations.

　　In a predicament , Many coal enterprises are seeking new ways forward. From the perspective of the coal enterprises themselves, while production volume is the very foundation upon which coal companies rely and maintaining stable output is crucial, it’s also important not to pursue it excessively. Ultimately, given the current market conditions, the previous development model for the coal industry indeed can no longer be sustained. At this stage, we should vigorously develop high-tech industries based on coal.