At its peak a decade ago, the Muchengjian mine churned out mountains of coal on the western outskirts of Beijing.
Now the mine in Beijing's Mentougou district is pinning its future on whiter slopes: It plans to transform itself into a winter sports resort, turning some of the underground shafts where miners once chiseled coal into a 1.25-kilometer air-conditioned track for cross-country skiing.
An apres-ski spa and a department store selling winter sports gear are also on the drawing board.