Vinacomin Uong Bi: Investment for Modern Technology

Vinacomin-Uong Bi Coal Holding Company Limited was founded in 1979 and was responsible for managing coal production and mine construction in Uong Bi and Dong Trieu areas like Mao Khe and Vang Danh coalmines and Uong Bi thermal power plant. This could be called a coalmining and mine development complex. The company’s initial output reached approximately 800,000 tonnes a year. After a period, many mines were expanded and split into independent companies like Mao Khe, Vang Danh and Nam Mau. This is the reason why Uong Bi is still called the mother of presently powerful Vang Danh, Mao Khe, Nam Mau and other coalminers. Uong Bi and Dong Trieu coalmining zones now have the biggest coal output in Vietnam and apply sustainability-oriented production methods. These coal zones produce tens of millions of tonnes of coal each year and have provided comfortable lives for thousands of coalminers’ families for the past 30 years.

 

Uong Bi Coal is managing and carrying out seven small and medium coal production projects with annual capacity ranging from 100,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes. These projects have gradually reached designed capacity, like Tan Xuan and Hoanh Bo coalmines (500,000 tonnes a year each), Hong Thai coalmine (500,000 tonnes), an underground mine (120,000 tonnes), Dong Vong coalmine (over 500,000 tonnes), Trang Khe 2 and 3 coalmine upgrading (Hong Thai coalmine), and Hong Thai coalmine upgrading in the second phase. With its constant investment for output expansion and modernisation, Vinacomin - Uong Bi Coal Company has been steadily moving on its development journey. In the next five-year plan through 2015, the company will produce nearly 4 million tonnes of run coal a year. Given the confirmed reserves, the company will have nearly 56 million tonnes still in reserves after 2015. Hence, from now on, Uong Bi Coal will explore for more coal in other places like Dong Trang Bach, Dong Vong and Hong Thai.

 

The company continues cooperating with the Mining Technology Institute and consulting companies to set up new projects and invest in modern coalmining technologies to fully exploit coal seams in complex geological conditions.

 

Accordingly, thin seams will be tapped by dowel systems and single hydraulic supports. Medium seams with a slope degree of 500 - 750 will be exploited by a tiled horizontal system supported by hydraulic brackets. For the time being, Uong Bi’s units are mainly mining low-quality coal, dust coal. To improve coal quality, the company is investing in modern screening systems.