Coal Mines in Vietnam: Geological Conditions and Their Influence on Production Sustainability Indicators

Abstract

The high growth rate that the Vietnamese economy has been demonstrating in recent years largely depends on the use of the country’s fossil fuel reserves, which form the foundation of its fuel and energy sector. The country will have to rely on coal as one of the key energy sources for a long time in order to meet its energy needs. Since coal has been mined in Vietnam for a long time, the country is now facing such challenges as the depletion of readily available reserves and an increase in the share of coal mined underground in difficult geological conditions. These circumstances may affect the sustainability of the coal industry as a whole. The purpose of the study is to develop a method for analyzing the influence of geological conditions on production sustainability indicators at coal mines operated by Vinacomin, a state-owned corporation. Research methods include substantiating and choosing objects and indicators reflecting production sustainability at coal mines, formalizing the qualitative characteristics of geological conditions, and revealing the relationship between the complexity of geological conditions and production sustainability indicators. As a result of the analysis, the most problematic mines and their operations were identified. They should be given priority attention when developing measures and corporate programs aimed at fostering the sustainability of coal mines. The results of the study provide new knowledge on the coal industry in Vietnam and help to develop methods for assessing corporate sustainability.

Energy Transition in Vietnam: A Strategic Analysis and Forecast

“…According to [3], coal will continue to play a crucial role in the global energy sector. Large reserves are not exploited or planned to be extracted in Vietnam [4], as the coal is of relatively low quality compared to the coal grades available on the global market. The share of imported coal is increasing, and dependence on the global coal market is growing.…”

“…Coal gen-eration produces the highest carbon dioxide emissions compared to other sources, which requires the introduction of "clean coal" technologies and the reduction or abandonment of coal generation. On the other hand, the insufficient quantity and quality of Vietnamese coal and difficult mining and geological conditions [4,5] stimulate the priority use of other (renewable) energy sources. It should be noted that the economic growth rate in Vietnam is approximately 6-7% per year, which requires solving the problem of a corresponding increase in energy needs.…”

Improving Electricity Efficiency by DC Power Transmission: A Case Study in Vietnamese Mining

“…Vietnam's economic growth rate outperforming other Asian countries can be explained by industrial growth mainly in the energy sector, in which the coal mining industry has supported all sectors of the national economy [1]. The exploitation and use of fossil fuels, including coal, to promote socioeconomic development is inevitable for developing countries, including Vietnam [1,2].…”

“…Nowadays, Vietnam's mining is getting deeper and deeper, and the degree of mechanization is increasing, making electricity consumption even bigger [4,5]. The efficient use of electricity to reduce the power consumption per ton of mined coal is of great significance in improving labor productivity, reducing environmental emissions, and moving towards sustainable socio-economic development of the Government of Vietnam in the current period [1].…”

Analyzing the Concept of Corporate Sustainability in the Context of Sustainable Business Development in the Mining Sector with Elements of Circular Economy

“…The exploration of deep or hard-to-reach deposits is associated with the occurrence of manmade disasters and a decrease in the safety of underground mining, including a greater global risk and a greater local risk for workers operating mining machines or vehicles [142,145].…”