Mining regulators across multiple jurisdictions have escalated enforcement this week, with China targeting illegal extraction methods, Australia launching a new safety campaign after a fatal accident, and African nations tightening oversight to combat smuggling and unauthorized operations.
Chinese Inspectors Flag Dangerous “One-Wall” Mining Method
Central safety inspection teams have identified significant violations at an open-pit mine in the Yongchuan District of Chongqing. Inspectors found the facility was using a prohibited “one-wall” extraction technique, creating a slope roughly 350 meters long with an incline exceeding 60 degrees.
The operation produced vertical drops of nearly 30 meters, reaching a maximum depth of 32 meters. Residential housing sits just 34 meters from the slope’s edge, where signs of landslides are already visible — a particular concern given the proximity to local residents.
In a separate regulatory development published on August 12, China has also adopted mandatory safety standards for L3 and L4 autonomous driving technologies.
State Council Investigates Shanxi Coal Mine Explosion
The Chinese State Council has established an investigation team to review a major gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine, operated by the Shanxi Tongzhou Group. The accident occurred on May 22, with the Supreme People’s Procuratorate announcing oversight of the case on May 25 to ensure accountability across corporate and regulatory levels.
Rescue operations have faced extreme conditions. The explosion happened 300 meters underground, affecting three tunnels that each stretch approximately one kilometer. Rescuers have used kayaks and waterproof gear to navigate the debris-filled passages.
In response, Shanxi provincial authorities have launched a cross-departmental “Strike Hard” campaign focusing on hidden workfaces and falsified monitoring data in the mining and chemical sectors. Elsewhere, twelve coal mines in Hunan province were authorized to resume production as of August 11 following joint inspections, while another 37 sites continue mandatory safety improvements.
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New South Wales Targets Mobile Equipment Risks
The New South Wales Resources Regulator has initiated a targeted safety campaign following a fatal accident at the United Wambo coal mine on August 3. A blast crew member was struck by a mobile processing unit.
Chief Inspector Margetts has called on mine operators to implement proactive controls around pedestrian interactions with heavy machinery. Inspecting officers will now examine how companies manage mobile equipment risks to prevent similar incidents.
Cameroon Cracks Down on Gold Smuggling
Cameroon has significantly tightened mining oversight to combat illegal gold extraction and smuggling. Earlier this year, the government closed four noncompliant mines and, on June 29, canceled 74 foreign mining permits.
The crackdown follows reports from the Institute for Security Studies indicating Cameroon lost approximately $3.4 billion to gold smuggling between 2021 and 2025. During that period, only 148 kilograms of gold were officially declared, while 44 tons were recorded as arriving in Dubai from Cameroon.
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Fatalities in South Africa and Pakistan
In South Africa, police continue to monitor a mine collapse near Rustenburg. The incident at a facility operated by Sustenza Trading killed 14 suspected illegal miners and injured eight others. Authorities noted unauthorized workers had infiltrated the site despite the operator holding a valid permit for platinum group metals.
In Pakistan’s Balochistan province, a coal mine explosion and subsequent collapse killed 11 miners this week. Meanwhile, US federal authorities have charged four managers at the MC#1 mine in Illinois over a 2021 fire, alleging they failed to evacuate miners and falsified records during the emergency.
