The Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) considers environmental protection to be one of the group's objectives. Its member companies have taken serious measures to protect the environment, for example building exclusive ways for coal transportation and planning small-sized dumping sites. Vinacomin is committed to making further efforts to minimize environmental pollution, protect water resources and restore the natural landscapes in coal mining areas.
In the past years, Vinacomin has carried out many activities to contribute to improving the environment in coal mining areas. The group has been relocating many production facilities from the centre of the city of Ha Long. Open-cast coal mining activities in Yen Tu were terminated on December 31, 2008. The transportation of coal on the Ha Long Bay was terminated in November 2007. The transportation of coal on National Highway 18A from Dong Trieu to Mong Duong in Quang Ninh province was terminated on November 1, 2008. Exclusive ways for coal transportation have been built to minimize dust emissions during the transportation process.
To protect the environment in residential areas and urban landscapes, Vinacomin has improved dumping sites and planted trees to create more green space.
The group has decided to invest more than VND100 billion in activities to improve the environment, especially water resources. Water in reservoirs in Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh is not only used for industrial purposes but is also treated to be usable for washing and in the future, it will be treated to become usable for people's everyday lives.
Doan Van Kien, General Director of Vinacomin, said that the group requires its member-units to be serious in implementing environmental protection programs and to make periodic reports on environmental impact assessments. Since 1997 the group has successfully carried out forestation activities and as a result, in the time period from 1997 to 2008, Vinacomin contributed considerably to increasing the rate of forest coverage to 48 percent.
In the past years, Vinacomin has been very active in developing environmentally friendly technologies. It has successfully used hydraulic pillars in coal mining and used ANFO explosive instead of TNT. Advanced methods and accessories have been used to restrict seism when exploding mines. New peat filtering equipment has been used to save water during the process of coal sifting.
Vinacomin has proposed to the Government and taken some measures to ensure sustainable development of the coal sector. One of the successful proposals is to build thermoelectric plants using low-quality coal that contains much sulfur to save natural coal resources and minimize adverse impacts on the environment. The Government has allowed Vinacomin to build some thermoelectric plants of this kind such as Na Duong (in Lang Son province), Cao Ngan (Thai Nguyen), and Cam Pha, Mao Khe (Quang Ninh). These thermoelectric plants use the CFB (circulation fluidized boiler) technology that helps minimize dust and waste gas emissions.
Huong Ly
Vietnamese
