13/09/2026
China could turn thousands of abandoned coal mines into underground agricultural laboratories, using their huge spaces and existing infrastructure for controlled farming research.
China could have around 15,000 abandoned mines by 2030, with researchers estimating their combined underground volume could reach 7.2 billion cubic meters.
Underground spaces are protected from many weather changes, allowing scientists to control temperature, light, water and air while using artificial lighting for crops.
Researchers also propose treating contaminated mine water for agricultural use, potentially creating a system that reuses abandoned mining infrastructure, energy and water.
The idea could eventually help develop farming methods for space missions, with China already growing lettuce 245 meters underground inside an abandoned copper mine.