Experts debate the feasibility and economic and social impacts of the exploitation of the Red River Delta coal basin during a consultative workshop on December 4. (Photo: baotainguyenmoitruong.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Geological and mining experts recently debatedthe feasibility and economic and social impacts of the exploitation of the RedRiver Delta coal basin, which has estimated reserves a hundred billion tonnesof coal.
The Red River Delta coal basin has received great attention from thepublic and governmental agencies over recent years because of its hugereserves, President of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations(VUSTA) Prof. PhD. Dang Vu Minh told the workshop held by the VUSTA and the VietnamUnion of Geological Sciences (VUGS) in Hanoi on December 4.
Prof. PhD. Tran Van Tri from the VUGS said the coalfield under the RedRiver Delta, particularly in the provinces of Thai Binh, Hung Yen and Nam Dinh,has enormous potential, with reserves of quality bituminous coal estimated atdozens of billions of tonnes. However, the delta is extremely complex in termsof geology and hydrology while data and documents available on its coalfieldare very limited, so it would be a great challenge for the country to determineif it is feasible to mine the coal.
He stressed the need for studies to assess the socio-economic impactsof mining of the coalfield before drafting plans to survey and test it.
Prof. PhD. Trinh Duy Luan from the Vietnam Sociology Associationoutlined several positive impacts of the Red River Delta coal-mining project.The mining would create jobs for rural residents forced to leave their farmingland for the project, improve income for them and facilitate the development ofnew urban areas and industrial parks, he said.
But Luan warned the negative effects would probably outweigh positiveones, with big challenges coming from difficulties in acquisition ofresidential and agricultural lands on such a large scale and provision of newhomes and jobs for affected people, not to mention negative influences in termsof culture.
Participating experts also discussed some solutions to minimise potentialdamage to the environment or geological changes that may occur during coalfieldexploitation.
They further noted that it is important to use safe coal extractingtechnologies and assess the impacts on the environment at each mining site ifthe project is carried out. The country must expand the production of renewableenergy, like solar power, wind power and tidal power, to reduce the volume ofcoals used for thermal electricity plants, thereby easing the urgent need to exploitthe Red River Delta coalfield.
In 2006, the VietnamNational Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) announced it haddiscovered a significant coal seam in the Red River Delta in northern Vietnamestimated to contain up to one hundred billion tonnes.
The bed covers 25sq.m situated about one km below the surface, stretching from Khoai Chaudistrict of Hung Yen province to Thai Binh province’s Dong Hung district. About28 billion tonnes of sub-bituminous coal, a medium grade of coal rated betweenlignite and bitumen, could be viably exploited from the bed and used in the nation’sthermoelectric power plants.
The domestic coaldemand in Vietnam has risen dramatically over the past eight years, from 20million tonnes in 2009 to 40 million tonnes in 2017, with most of it used forelectricity production.
To meet the need formore coal, Vinacomin has turned to imports. The amount of coal imported climbedrapidly to more than 14.67 million tonnes last year from 3 million tonnes in2014.
It is estimated theamount of coal needed for production of electricity will reach 60 milliontonnes by 2020 and 86 million tonnes by 2025. So far this year, the amount ofcoal provided to thermal plants was 26.9 million tonnes. That figure is set torise to 31.9 million in 2019. –VNA
VNA
