Gains will be stimulated by growing demand for mined products from downstream industries such as steel, construction, agriculture, chemicals and -- most notably -- the coal-dependent electric utilities.

Trends favoring increasing mechanization in Chinese mines will also spur new sales of mining equipment through the forecast period. In addition, the harsh work environment and limited lifespans of mining equipment will create opportunities for sales of aftermarket parts and attachments, further fueling market gains. However, the shutting down of small mines for environmental protection and safety reasons, as well as improving efficiency in the downstream consumption of mined products, will dampen mining activity to some extent, leading to a deceleration in demand growth for mining equipment. Moreover, moderating price increases for mining equipment will further restrain market growth in value terms. These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in Mining Equipment in China, a new study from the Beijing office of The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm.