Coal mines in Quang Ninh to be exhausted by 2038

As the country is seeking to incrementally raise the annual extraction to 100 million tons of pure coal by 2030, most of the coal mines in Quang Ninh will be exhausted by 2038, said an executive of an energy firm last week.

From now to 2030 the extraction rate is to reach 60-67 million tons of raw coal per year, equivalent to 55-60 million tons of pure coal.

“As a result, after the year 2030, Quang Ninh’s coal mines can last for only a couple of years, and can not outlast 2038,” said Nguyen Thanh Son, director of Song Hong Energy Company, at a conference on mineral resources last Friday.

Vietnam Coal-Mineral Industries Group (TKV) proposed the Government explore new mines in the Northeast with expected reserves of 1.23 billion tons.

If the reserves are proven, the new mines could contribute 23 million tons of raw coal per year until 2030 at maximum. Even then, Quang Ninh’s mines could only last through 2055, he said.

So far, the proven coal reserve in the Northeast is around 2.5 billion tons, although some rough estimate puts it at ten billion tons.

“The figures in TKV’s reports to the Government are often gigantic. There is confusion between the potential and the tap reserve, which creates the false belief that Vietnam is abundant of coal. It’s dishonest,” Son said.

“They see a dim spot at the sea bed on the map and they say it’s coal. In fact, TKV adjusts the norms to create a seemingly huge reserve. It’s untechnical and non-economic.”

Vu Manh Hung, deputy general director of TKV, angrily protested Son’s remarks.

“It’s just a confusion of concepts, not dishonesty,” Hung said.

According to the World Energy Organization, the world’s proven reserve of coal was 929 billion tons as January 2006. Vietnam was included in the non-OECD Asian countries, with combined reserve of 9.7 billion tons.

SGT

Tags: Vietnam Coal, Vietnam mining