Decision No. 159/2008/QĐ-TTg Approving the Project "Renewal and Modernization of Technology in the Mining Industry until 2015, Vision to 2025"

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Project "Renewal and Modernization of Technology in the Mining Industry until 2015, with Vision to 2025"

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Industry and Trade,

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. Approves the Project "Renewal and Modernization of Technology in the Mining Industry until 2015, with Vision to 2025" with the main contents as follows:

I. VIEWS, OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS OF TECHNOLOGY RENEWAL AND MODERNIZATION

1. Views on technology renewal and modernization

a. Renewal and modernization of technology must be based on the actual conditions of each mine, utilizing existing capacity to meet the requirements of improving production efficiency, paying due attention to comprehensive and thorough utilization of mineral resources.

b. Prioritize the selection of new equipment and technology towards clean production with criteria of high productivity, low consumption of raw materials, fuel, and energy, ensuring safety and environmental friendliness. Emphasize and promote the application of cleaner production solutions in production to enhance production efficiency while improving and minimizing environmental pollution.

c. Apply advanced technology with high levels of mechanization and automation from the outset for newly constructed large-scale mines; maximize the degree of mechanization in production stages, apply reasonable mining and processing systems to minimize resource losses and environmental pollution for newly constructed medium and small-scale mines.

d. For currently operating mines and processing plants, improve and renew technology according to actual conditions of each mine by gradually replacing old equipment with new advanced equipment, coupled with technological innovation to suit the needs. Strengthen the application of information technology, enhance management capabilities, professional expertise, and skills; strive to increase mechanization and reduce manual labor in production processes at small-scale mines and processing plants; improve automation levels at mines and processing plants.

đ. Along with maximizing internal strength, international cooperation should be strengthened to implement technological renewal and modernization.

2. Objectives of technology renewal and modernization

a. General objectives

Strive to make the mining industry a sector with regional technological standards by 2015 and world standards by 2025. By 2015, Vietnam's mining technology sector will have a competent managerial workforce with advanced technical proficiency, skilled workers, activities ensuring safe working conditions, meeting environmental standards, post-mining restoration, and deep processing to create high added value, production technology reaching high levels of mechanization and automation. Science and technology become a key force in enhancing business efficiency and competitiveness, ensuring safe working conditions, and protecting the environment.

b. Specific objectives:

- In open-pit mining technology, strive to achieve production process mechanization levels comparable to regional standards by 2015 and world standards by 2025; information technology is widely applied in production and resource management at large mines. For medium and small mines, strive to broadly apply appropriate mechanization levels suitable to specific conditions, minimize manual labor, focus on environmental protection, and thoroughly utilize resources.

- In underground mining technology, strive to comprehensively apply mechanization in mines with favorable conditions and apply mechanization at the highest possible level under permissible conditions in mines with unfavorable conditions. Cease manual operations that do not ensure safe working conditions, waste resources, and destroy the environment.

- In mineral processing technology, apply advanced global technologies in large processing plants; mechanize to the highest possible level under permissible conditions, aiming to eliminate manual labor in medium and small processing plants; improve recovery rates of primary valuable minerals, maximize recovery of accompanying valuable minerals for comprehensive utilization and resource conservation, reduce resource loss in tailings; limit the use of harmful chemicals causing environmental pollution.

- In oil and gas extraction and processing technology, strive to reach world-leading levels to rationally, efficiently, and conservatively exploit domestic oil and gas resources; actively expand overseas oil and gas activities and promptly bring new oil and gas discoveries into production.

- Strengthen the development of scientific and technological potential, striving to reach regional advanced levels by 2015 and world advanced levels by 2025. Build a strong workforce in the mining industry both in quality and quantity to manage industry activities and achieve set goals.

3. Contents of technology renewal and modernization in the mining industry

a. Renewal and modernization of technological processes and equipment

- Phase up to 2015

+ Open-pit mining

. In sand ore mining: Study the transition from excavator and truck transportation technology to water-assisted excavation combined with excavator and slurry pump transportation in areas with suitable conditions.

. In drilling - blasting - crushing rock stage:

Implement advanced rock breaking technologies such as using machines for soil loosening or positive-action bucket excavators with high thrust to reduce blasting work and environmental pollution in suitable mines.

Implement new technologies to enhance blasting efficiency: quickly determine rock properties and automatically design blasting passports, underwater blasting technology, large-scale layer blasting technology, vibration-reducing blasting technology...; replace old rotary drill rigs (from the former Soviet Union) with hydraulic percussion rotary drills.

Innovate oversized rock blasting technology using hydraulic hammers to minimize environmental pollution.

. In loading and transportation work:

Eliminate manual mining and loading technology, replace cable-operated electric locomotives with suitable capacity trucks for mine conditions.

Gradually replace old electric excavators and cable-pulled bucket excavators with hydraulic excavators (forward or reverse buckets) of appropriate bucket size, flexible digging paths, and high selective digging capabilities.

Implement continuous transport systems using conveyor belts, pipelines, combined truck-conveyor belt, and truck-tramway transport systems at mines where conditions permit.

In mining and excavation work, stabilizing mine slopes:

Implement mining technology with large extraction layer heights and the use of large-capacity equipment to increase labor productivity and extraction volume, reduce product costs.

Apply mining technology with steep working slope angles in areas where conditions are suitable.

Apply appropriate solutions to enhance mine slope stability (using reasonable slope shapes, pressure relief drilling, blasting border formation with small holes, rock reinforcement through anchoring methods...).

Gradually replace and eliminate outdated and obsolete equipment and technologies; invest in large-capacity equipment in large-scale open-pit mines.

Implement rational waste disposal technology in areas below unexploited mineral deposits that will be extracted using underground mining methods.

+ Underground Mining

Improve and implement tunneling technology using blasting methods with coordinated investment in drilling, loading, transportation equipment, and scientific labor organization to increase tunneling speed, widely develop rock support using bolts, shotcrete, and bolt-shotcrete composite supports; strengthen the application of hydraulic rock support, mechanization, and integrated tunneling chains using blasting methods with drilling, loading, and transportation equipment.

Develop rock support technology using flexible steel-bolted supports under various geological conditions; apply rock support technology using bolts, bolt-shotcrete composite supports, and shotcrete in tunnel roads.

Implement rock reinforcement technology in mines to serve tunneling processes in areas with complex geological conditions.

Apply automation to ventilation, gas control, transportation, drainage, power supply, etc., processes.

In underground coal mining, focus on mechanizing coal cutting with combai cutters, coal shearer machines, along with hydraulic props (single hydraulic pillars and hydraulic roof supports), self-propelled support frames in coal chambers.

Develop mechanized coal cutting technology in short tunnel sections, using self-propelled frames with lowered roof structures, long-hole blasting, and tunneling machines according to equal-layer division, inclined-layer division schemes for thickly inclined seams.

Replace aging, obsolete equipment in technological stages such as drilling, tunneling, loading, transportation, etc., with advanced equipment having higher efficiency.

Study and apply underground coal gasification technology to extract coal in the Red River Delta region.

+ Screening and Concentration Technology

Renovate and improve concentration technology, supplement existing concentration lines with high-efficiency, low-energy-consuming, easily adjustable equipment (new generation magnetic separators using rare earth magnets, pneumatic tables, multi-directional magnetic-gravity separators...); apply information technology to monitor and adjust production processes.

Innovate and widely apply measuring, controlling, and automation equipment in concentrator plants to improve and stabilize economic-technical indicators: ore feed weight determination equipment, sediment concentration level determination equipment in flotation circuits, thickening tanks, automatic sampling equipment, automatic reagent dosing equipment, chemical analysis equipment, fine concentrate moisture determination equipment.

Invest in new or supplementary installation and replacement of high-pressure cyclone classifiers, water cyclones in concentrator plants to enhance slurry processing system efficiency, fine particle concentration, improve circulating water usage, and environmental treatment in concentrator plants.

Develop low-grade coal and ore concentration technology, utilizing waste from concentrator plants to produce construction materials, fully exploiting resources.

Innovate and use new generation flotation reagents with high activity and selectivity, minimal environmental pollution in flotation plants.

Research and select appropriate technology and reagents for concentrating poor apatite ores (Type II, Type IV) to fully exploit resources.

Improve and perfect concentration process technologies to increase recovery rates of primary valuable minerals, enhance fine particle concentration efficiency, recover accompanying valuable elements, utilize and conserve resources comprehensively.

Improve grinding and desliming technology to increase valuable mineral recovery rates, reduce resource losses in concentrating clay-rich sand ores like tin and chromite.

+ Oil and Gas Extraction and Processing

Select appropriate drilling and extraction technologies, focusing on slimhole drilling, horizontal drilling, balanced pressure drilling. Implement and develop technologies for complex geological conditions such as fractured basement, high temperature and pressure, gas-bearing reservoirs containing CO2.₂Implement platform and wellhead technologies similar to those for Vietnam's paraffin-rich crude oil and CO2-containing gas, secondary and tertiary recovery technologies to increase oil recovery and maintain well production.₂..., secondary and tertiary extraction technologies to increase oil recovery and maintain well production.

In the collection, transportation, storage, processing, utilization, and distribution of oil and gas products, focus on crude oil processing technology, petrochemical technology, gas processing and utilization technology, waste treatment technology, accident prevention, safety, and environmental protection.

- Post-2015 Phase

Expand the application of improved blasting technology, border-forming blasting technology to protect mine slopes.

+ Develop technology to break through and excavate rock using mechanical methods, reduce the volume of drilling and blasting (combined milling machines, tracked excavators with front scrapers and rear digging units, hydraulic breaker heads for direct rock breaking...).

+ Implement deep mining technology and steep slope open-pit mining technology at mines with suitable conditions.

+ Develop comprehensive mechanization technology for the mining chain towards using combined tunnel boring machines and drilling and blasting equipment with modern drilling, loading, and transportation systems.

+ Widespread application of continuous conveyor transport systems, combined truck-conveyor and truck-tramway transport systems at open-pit mines.

+ Utilize large-scale and modern equipment; replace cyclic operation equipment with continuous operation equipment such as multi-bucket excavators, conveyors, and continuous rock excavation equipment at mines with suitable conditions.

+ Develop waste disposal and drainage technologies when conducting deep mining; rationally dispose of waste in areas below where remaining mineral resources will be extracted using underground mining technology.

+ Continue to select appropriate processing technologies and reagents for processing low-grade apatite ores (Type II, Type IV) to fully utilize natural resources.

+ Maintain and improve existing ore processing technologies to increase the recovery rate of primary valuable minerals, especially fine particles, maximize the recovery of accompanying valuable elements, and use and conserve resources comprehensively and efficiently.

+ Develop microbial technologies to enhance the efficiency of processing difficult-to-process ores, heap leaching technologies to reduce production costs, process low-grade ores, and fully and efficiently utilize resources.

+ Select and develop reasonable technologies for extracting North Vietnam's alluvial coal deposits with complex geological conditions.

+ Develop information technology and automation in exploration, extraction, collection, transportation, processing, distribution, and utilization of oil and gas products.

b. Reform and improve the effectiveness of management and production operations.

- Phase up to 2015

+ Establish and update databases to support resource management and rational exploitation planning.

+ Strengthen the application of information technology achievements and GIS systems in production management and resource management.

+ Improve and reform organizational structures and management methods towards streamlined, efficient operations, reducing administrative layers, and increasing the autonomy and responsibility of units.

+ Implement quality management systems according to international ISO 9000 standards.

+ Transition state-owned mining companies to operate under the Enterprise Law. For state-owned enterprises that do not need to maintain 100% ownership, they should be transformed into joint-stock companies to attract investment capital and apply reasonable management models for these enterprises.

+ Reform and establish policies and regulatory documents to ensure equality with mineral industry enterprises in modernization.

+ Train and improve the skills of workers from laborers to technical specialists to ensure mastery of modern technologies and meet industry needs.

- Post-2015 Phase

+ Maintain and update databases to support resource management and rational exploitation planning.

+ Continue to apply information technology achievements and GIS systems in production management and resource management.

+ Maintain training and skill enhancement programs for staff and workers.

c. Reform scientific and technological activities.

- Phase up to 2015

+ Enhance material and equipment capabilities for research laboratories of scientific and technological institutions and consulting organizations within the industry to serve research, design, implementation of new technologies, and product manufacturing.

+ Maintain and effectively utilize the Science and Technology Fund; enhance the capacity of independent scientific and technological organizations and research and development departments of Groups, Corporations, and Companies.

+ Increase investment in scientific and technological activities through national, ministerial, and Group/Corporation-level key science and technology programs.

+ Strengthen activities to absorb and master new technologies; research and implement projects to improve and perfect existing technologies.

+ Strengthen collaboration between research institutes, universities, and production enterprises in proposing, implementing, and applying research results to practical production.

+ Maximize domestic resources based on enhanced cooperation among organizations and scientists in education, research, information exchange, application, and transfer of new technologies.

+ Actively attract foreign investment and international cooperation in education, research, information exchange, application, and transfer of new technologies, particularly in researching coal mining and processing technologies in North Vietnam's alluvial coalfields, coal gasification and liquefaction, and resource recovery and comprehensive utilization.

- Post-2015 Phase

+ Continue to maintain and effectively utilize the Science and Technology Fund at Groups, Corporations, and Companies.

+ Continue to invest in enhancing the capacity of scientific and technological organizations and research and development departments of Groups, Corporations, and Companies.

+ Continue to maintain collaboration between research institutes, universities, and enterprises in scientific and technological activities serving the development of the mining industry.

+ Focus on researching and manufacturing equipment for the mining industry such as hydraulic supports, self-propelled support frames, various types of scraper loaders, transfer conveyors, excavators, etc., to replace imports.

+ Continue to strengthen international cooperation in education, research, information exchange, application, and transfer of new technologies, especially in researching coal mining and processing technologies, coal gasification and liquefaction, and resource recovery and comprehensive utilization.

d. Strengthen environmental protection work.

- Strengthen environmental management and protection at mineral extraction and processing facilities.

- Encourage and promote the application of clean technologies and environmentally friendly solutions for cleaner production in mineral extraction and processing.

- Encourage enterprises to implement environmental management systems according to international ISO 14000 standards.

- Effectively implement the Program "Environmental Recovery in Mining Areas" under the National Environmental Protection Strategy until 2010 and vision until 2020.

- Strengthen training activities and raise awareness about environmental protection.

- Enhance monitoring and reporting on current environmental conditions.

II. SOLUTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION

1. Solutions

a. Group of solutions regarding investment in advanced equipment and technology

- Develop and implement programs and plans to replace, upgrade, and modernize technology and equipment at Groups, Corporations, and Companies engaged in mineral extraction and processing.

- Encourage and support businesses, organizations, and individuals from all economic sectors to transfer and apply technology for innovation and modernization.

b. Group of solutions promoting research planning and technology, international cooperation, and human resource training

- Enhance the capacity and role of technology management departments within enterprises in advising on planning, applying, and innovating technology.

- Strengthen research and development capabilities for scientific and technological organizations, creating transparent mechanisms for technology transfer activities;

- Promote collaboration between research institutes, universities, financial organizations, and enterprises, with state coordination and support in enterprise technology innovation activities.

- Develop and implement specialized science and technology programs in mineral extraction and processing to serve innovation and modernization.

- Strengthen international cooperation, attract resources and science and technology from outside.

- Train to improve management skills, scientific and technological knowledge, and skill levels for managers and workers in enterprises.

- Form and develop a science and technology market in the field of mineral extraction and processing; complete necessary legal systems for the operation of the technology market.

c. Group of solutions regarding policy mechanisms and state management

- Develop support policies to encourage enterprises to enhance their research and development capabilities; manage technology; effectively utilize science and technology development funds for research, development, and technology application.

- Develop policies to strengthen the coordination of industry modernization programs with equipment manufacturing programs.

- Review, supplement, amend, and promote awareness of regulatory documents on mineral activity management.

- Consolidate and strengthen the capacity of state management and inspection bodies for mineral activities from central to local levels; strengthen management of small mine exploitation licensing activities at the local level.

- Review, amend, supplement, and issue new incentive and support policies for enterprises to invest in technology innovation.

- Establish criteria and standards to assess the degree of technology innovation and modernization (regarding fuel, energy, materials, raw materials consumption, etc.) and mechanisms for inspecting, evaluating, and supervising compliance with these criteria and standards.

2. Funding for Implementation of the Project

a. The funding for implementing the project is secured from state budget funds and other sources (enterprise own capital, loans from credit institutions, international aid).

Funding for implementing state management-related contents such as reviewing and perfecting the system of regulatory documents; enhancing scientific and technological research capabilities; establishing incentive and support policies for technology transfer and innovation; training and raising awareness; establishing criteria and standards to assess the degree of technology innovation and modernization, inspection and supervision of implementation... is allocated from state budget funds through annual plans and programs of relevant ministries, sectors, and localities.

Funding for specific technology innovation and modernization programs/projects at enterprises is mobilized from enterprise sources, loan capital, foreign aid, and part of state budget funds to support investment and technology innovation.

b. Each year, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities balance the budget to implement the tasks of the project.

3. Organization of Implementation

a. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Construction, and the Departments of Industry and Trade of localities are responsible for organizing guidance, directing implementation, and supervising the implementation of the Project "Innovation and Modernization of Technology in the Mining Industry until 2015, Vision 2025" at their respective ministries and localities. Annually, the Ministry of Industry and Trade reports to the Prime Minister on the implementation of the project.

b. The Ministry of Science and Technology leads and collaborates with the Ministries of Industry and Trade and Construction to build and implement science and technology programs, specialized science and technology programs in mineral extraction and processing to serve innovation and modernization; issue criteria and standards to assess the degree of technology innovation and modernization (regarding fuel, energy, materials, raw materials consumption, etc.); review, amend, and supervise the implementation of operational procedures and norms in mineral extraction and processing areas under their responsibility.

c. Enterprises, primarily State-owned Groups and Corporations operating in the mineral extraction and processing sector, develop and implement a roadmap for technology innovation and modernization until 2015, with a direction towards 2025, consistent with the content of the project.

d. Scientific and technological organizations operating in the field of mineral extraction and processing shall proactively develop deep investment projects, enhance research capabilities; strengthen the connection between scientific and technological activities and the actual needs of enterprises to build and implement research and development programs, consulting, design, manufacturing equipment serving innovation and modernization technology plans, grasp and master imported technology of enterprises operating in the field of mineral extraction and processing.

đ. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to review, within their scope of authority, or submit to the Government for issuance of supplementary and amended regulatory legal documents on mineral management; consolidate and enhance the capacity of state management units and inspection of mineral activities at the central level.

e. People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall direct the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Industry and Trade to consolidate and enhance the capacity of state management units and inspection of mineral activities at the local level; strengthen the management of small mine exploitation licensing activities at the local level.

g. The Ministry of Finance shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Science and Technology, Industry and Trade, Construction to draft and submit to the Government for issuance of appropriate mechanisms and policies to support and encourage enterprises to invest in technological innovation, receive advanced technology transfers, and develop the science and technology market.

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-attached agencies, Chairpersons of provincial and centrally governed city People's Committees are responsible for implementing this Decision.