The current situation and development trend of open-pit coal mines

Open-pit coal mines are an important component of China's coal industry, holding an irreplaceable strategic position in ensuring national energy security and supporting economic and social development. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the development process of China's open-pit coal mines, the latest advancements in mining theories, technologies and process systems, and comprehensively summarizes the application status of large-scale complete equipment such as drilling machines, mining and excavation machinery, and transportation system. It also prospectively outlines future development trends such as the accelerated transition toward intelligent technical equipment, deeper progress in green and low-carbon initiatives, and the construction of flexible coal mines and zero-carbon mining areas. The findings reveal that while China’s open-pit coal mine development has entered a phase of rapid intelligentization, but the core equipment autonomy, precise control of ecological damage, and the establishment of robust talent systems for intelligent operation remain the main bottlenecks restricting high-quality development.