Deputy PM OKs Vinacomin to Explore Underground Coal in Northern Provinces

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has recently approved in principle the state-owned Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) to conduct coal exploration and pilot coal gasification in the northern provinces of Quang Ninh and Hung Yen.

Vinacomin and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan will assess coal reserves and make plans for coal exploration in the Dong Trieu-Pha Lai coal bed in Quang Ninh.

Hai allowed Vinacomin to pilot applying underground coal gasification technology in Hung Yen province and requested the group to make a careful assessment report on the environmental impacts of the project.

The country’s top miner plans to invest US$6.5 million in the project in Hung Yen.

The government official also requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to make a plan for coal exploring and mining in the Red River basin through 2030 and submit it to the government for approval in the fourth quarter of this year. The basin, which covers 3,500 square kilometers stretching the northern provinces of Nam Dinh, Hung Yen and Thai Binh, is estimated to have a reserve of 210 billion tons.

Tags: Vietnam Coal, Vietnam mining, Vietnam Underground Coal

Posted by VBN on Mar 24 2010. Filed under Mining & Metal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry