Struggles of a Shanxi coal mine owner in bleak industry winter

Coal mine owner Chen Yixian looks at his car, which was damaged in economic disputes, on Jan 14. Chen's coal mine is in Jinzhong city of Shanxi province, which produces much of China's coal, and he invested millions of yuan in it. However, as the national economic slowdown led to a slump in coal demand and prices since 2012, the coal industry has been experiencing a long winter and Chen's coal mine is facing the threat of shutting down. Prices for coal used in power generation, the country's benchmark, have fallen from 1,070 yuan per ton in July 2008 to 370 yuan as of the end of 2015. [Photo/IC]