Development history

HA LAM COAL JOINT STOCK COMPANY 66 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the official website of Ha Lam Coal Joint Stock Company. We are always pleased to welcome you to visit, exchange ideas, learn, cooperate, and grow together.

Ha Lam Coal Joint Stock Company is a subsidiary of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (VINACOMIN). Our core business is underground coal mining.

The coal products extracted by the Company are anthracite coal, meeting Vietnamese National Standards (TCVN). With an annual output exceeding 2.4 million tons, we consistently meet our customers’ requirements in terms of quantity, product range, and quality, while ensuring on-time delivery.

Thank you for visiting and exploring information on our website. We wish you success and happiness, and we look forward to strengthening and expanding cooperation between our companies in the future.

Sincerely,
Ha Lam Coal Joint Stock Company

The History and Development of Ha Lam Coal Joint Stock Company :

I/ The 1960–1965 Period

     On August 1, 1960, after nearly six years of recovery and reconstruction from the devastation caused by French colonial rule and the sabotage carried out by French mine owners prior to their withdrawal, Ha Lam Coal Mine was officially established.

At the time of its establishment, the workforce consisted of 1,103 employees, including 62 Party members, 130 Youth Union members, 912 Trade Union members, and 108 officers and soldiers of the self-defense force. The mining area of Ha Lam Mine initially comprised only two production sites—Site 65 and Sites 77–78, collectively referred to as the Eastern Tunnel Area, which had been left behind after exploitation by the French.

Mining technology at that time was entirely manual, with virtually no machinery or equipment, and the entire mine had no technicians with intermediate qualifications nor any engineers. The mine’s leadership mainly consisted of comrades returning from the resistance war, such as Hoang Manh, Le Xung, Nguyen Phai, Ho Kim, Nguyen Kien, Nguyen Quang An, and others.

The workforce was further strengthened by personnel transferred from the army and youth volunteer forces, as well as a number of cadres and workers from coal mines in the Thai Nguyen and Viet Bac regions.

          Five months after its establishment, the mine began implementing the tasks of the First Five-Year Plan (1961–1965).During this period, in response to President Ho Chi Minh’s call for emulation, “Each person works twice as hard for our beloved South,” Ha Lam Coal Mine launched emulation movements named after famous places and battles of the army and people in Southern Vietnam. These movements encouraged and motivated Ha Lam’s cadres and workers to enthusiastically engage in labor and production.

        In 1962, the workers and staff of Ha Lam Mine were honored to welcome Comrade Truong Chinh, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, on a visit. Comrade Truong Chinh entered the underground workings at Seam 16 to visit cadres and workers on duty. He expressed his great pleasure and encouraged the mine’s staff and workers to intensify production, mining as much coal as possible “for our beloved South,” striving to fulfill and exceed the targets of the 1962 plan and the First Five-Year Plan (1961–1965).

        In the summer of 1963, the cadres and workers of Ha Lam were once again honored to welcome Comrade Pham Van Dong, Prime Minister of the Government, on a visit. He entered the ventilation tunnel in Area 83 and went down to the coal mining site, visiting workers on the first shift at the Huu Nghi Tunnel. He instructed the Party Committee and the mine’s leadership to provide proper leadership and take good care of working conditions and occupational safety for underground workers, while further promoting the emulation movement “for our beloved South,” establishing more socialist labor teams, and striving to successfully fulfill the State’s production plan.

      In early March 1964, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong visited the mining area and called for the production of an additional 200,000 tons of clean coal to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory. In response to the Prime Minister’s directive, the entire mining region launched a coal production campaign with a spirit of decisive determination, likened to the Dien Bien Phu campaign. The leadership of Ha Lam Coal Mine developed an emulation plan with creative measures, determined to achieve the objectives of the campaign.  

        The mine selected the socialist labor teams led by Vu Ngoc Duc, Nguyen Van Bon, Dinh Van Bay, and Tran Dinh Son as the core and driving force of the emulation movements and production campaigns. As a result, in 1964, Ha Lam Mine extracted more than 300,000 tons of raw coal, achieving an unprecedented level of labor productivity and output since the liberation of the mining region and since workers became the masters of the mine.

        On February 2, 1965 (the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake), President Ho Chi Minh celebrated the New Year with mine workers and the people of Quang Ninh. At a rally held at Hon Gai High School, he praised Hon Gai Coal Company and the coal mines for successfully producing an additional 200,000 tons of clean coal, and awarded the rotating emulation flag for outstanding performance to the coal industry.

        While the First Five-Year Plan was being implemented effectively, it was disrupted when the U.S. imperialists, after suffering heavy defeats in the South, sought to salvage the situation and block the large-scale support provided by the people of the North to the resistance war against U.S. aggression for national salvation waged by compatriots and soldiers in the South. These actions aimed to sabotage the construction of socialism and to undermine the determination of the people of both the North and the South to continue the struggle against U.S. aggression for national independence.

        Despite being affected by the war for more than one year, during the implementation of the First Five-Year Plan (1961–1965), Ha Lam Mine still achieved results of which it could be justly proud.

1. Total output value achieved:
   33,147,979 / 31,639,779 = 104.7%
2. Coal production results:
   • Raw coal output: 1,658,399 tons / 1,500,000 tons = 104.2%
   • Clean coal output: 1,569,824 tons / 1,519,980 tons = 103.2%

II/ THE PERIOD 1966–1975

        In August 1965, the Government decided to establish the Quang Ninh Coal Corporation. In the same month, the Central Committee of the Communist Party decided to establish the Quang Ninh Coal Party Committee.

        The resolutions of the 11th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (March 1965), followed by the 12th Plenum (December 1965), addressed the shift in economic development orientation. In the same year, the Party Committee of the Quang Ninh Coal Corporation convened a meeting, which determined the production and combat directions of the coal industry under the new circumstances.

        When U.S. forces recklessly escalated the war to its highest level, carrying out destructive bombardments, the Uong Bi and Coc 5 power plants were no longer able to supply electricity for production. As a result, production was disrupted, coal transportation routes were blocked, and ships were unable to enter ports to load coal. Under these circumstances, production was urgently shifted from mechanized methods to manual labor, and from open-pit mining to underground mining. The remaining workers were organized into units to reinforce the self-defense combat forces.

        In implementing the policy of the Party Committee of the Quang Ninh Coal Corporation, and driven by patriotism, devotion to socialism, and the resilient and indomitable tradition of “discipline and solidarity” of the Vietnamese working class, Ha Lam Coal Mine adopted a wartime production spirit.

Despite fierce bombardment by U.S. forces, the mine implemented a wide range of coordinated, rapid, and thorough measures, adhering to the policy of staying on site to maintain production. Following the directives of higher-level authorities, the Party Committee of Ha Lam Mine led its cadres, Party members, and self-defense workers to steadfastly remain at their posts, sustain production, and ensure the supply of coal in accordance with customer demand.

       At this time, the entire mining region competed under the slogans “Production combined with combat,” “One hand on the hammer, the other on the rifle,” and “All for defeating the U.S. aggressors.” During the Lunar New Year of 1966, Ha Lam mine workers upheld the slogan “The battlefield is our home, the mining region is our homeland; celebrate the New Year through production, combat, and thrift.” Hundreds of workers and cadres volunteered to remain on site during the New Year to produce and fight, participating in the campaigns “Coal production to resist U.S. aggression and save the nation” and “Each person works twice as hard,” with the determination to achieve three high targets: high productivity, good quality, and strong savings.

“With the South, marching forth to decisive victory,” in response to the Dak To victory achieved by the army and people of Southern Vietnam, the entire mine enthusiastically launched the campaign “Producing and transporting Dak To coal to the port.”

        Through movements promoting labor emulation and readiness for combat, the cadres and workers of Ha Lam achieved significant accomplishments and progress across many aspects and fields, including ideology, organization, and the protection and maintenance of production. Annual coal output consistently met and exceeded the targets assigned by higher authorities. However, production levels were not always stable, as workers had to combine production activities with the duty of combat readiness.

In 1965, the planned output was 489,000 tons; actual production reached 496,250 tons, equal to 101%.

In 1966, actual production reached 385,000 tons.

In 1967, actual production reached 280,000 tons.

In 1968, actual production reached 170,000 tons.

In 1969, the planned output was 280,000 tons; actual production reached 295,784 tons, equal to 105%.

In 1970, the planned output was 230,000 tons; actual production reached 311,561 tons, equal to 135%.

In 1971, the planned output was 300,000 tons; actual production reached 352,516 tons, equal to 117.5%.

In 1972, actual production reached 189,000 tons.

        Through labor production and emulation movements, many advanced collectives and individuals emerged. In just four years (from 1969 to 1972), the entire mine elected 425 emulation fighters. In 1972 alone, the mine had 130 emulation fighters and hundreds of advanced workers.

In 1969, Hà Lầm Coal Mine was awarded the rotating emulation flag presented by President Hồ Chí Minh, recognizing it as “The most outstanding emulation unit of the coal industry.”

At the same time, armed forces were built to fight the enemy, protect the mine, support friendly units, and provide assistance to the southern battlefield.

        With the spirit of “one hand on the hammer, one hand on the gun,” production went hand in hand with combat. Emulating the movement of “dual excellence” — “excellence in production, excellence in combat” — the Hà Lầm self-defense fighters trained day and night, staying close to training grounds and combat positions. On September 1, 1967, the 12.7 mm self-defense unit of Hà Lầm shot down one A-4 aircraft. On December 19, 1972, the Hà Lầm anti-aircraft self-defense artillery unit destroyed a U.S. F-4 aircraft.

        Alongside the task of maintaining and promoting production while remaining ready for combat, destroying the enemy, and protecting the fruits of labor and the mine’s assets, the cadres and workers of Hà Lầm Mine also fulfilled their mission of providing support to the Southern battlefield. With the spirit of “the frontline calls, the rear responds,” “sharing the fire with the South,” and “ready to cross the Trường Sơn Range to save the nation,” within a short period from 1967 to 1970, a total of 267 cadres, workers, and young self-defense members of Hà Lầm Mine enlisted and set out for the South to fight.

        On January 27, 1973, the U.S. imperialists and the Saigon puppet administration were forced to officially sign the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam.

       Ha Lam, like the entire coal-mining region, set about healing the wounds of war, restoring production, stabilizing the lives of workers, bringing evacuees back home, and repairing houses, living quarters, as well as production facilities and residential areas.

It can be said that the period from 1966 to 1972 was the most intense and arduous, marked by the greatest sacrifices and losses—materially, spiritually, and in blood. Yet it was also the period that most clearly revealed the heroic and revolutionary character of the Ha Lam miners, who rose above all hardships and moved forward. That spirit has been preserved, upheld, and continuously developed to this day.

III/ Period 1976–1986

          After the period of escalated warfare and bombardment by the U.S. imperialists against the North and the mining region, Ha Lam Mine faced immense difficulties as production facilities, workshops, and public welfare works were severely damaged. Although several years of recovery had passed, the consequences of the war remained heavy. The mine’s staff and workers devoted all their efforts to overcoming the aftermath of the war, repairing and restoring facilities, promoting basic construction, and opening new underground roadways and coal seams to increase output, while also creating jobs and ensuring income, wages, and stable living conditions for workers.

        As an underground coal mining unit, roadway development and the preparation of replacement mining faces to ensure continuity for longwall operations were identified as the mine’s key tasks in maintaining production output. Accordingly, many new emulation movements were launched, and coal mining technology in longwall faces, as well as roadway development work, was gradually mechanized.

        In August 1980, it was once again an honor for the staff and workers of Hà Lầm Coal Mine to welcome Comrade Lê Duẩn, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, together with leaders of the Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee. They visited the workplaces and working conditions of the mine’s staff and workers, encouraging them to compete in labor and increase coal production for the nation.

        Thus, Hà Lầm Coal Mine had the honor of welcoming many of the highest-ranking leaders of the Party, the State, and the military on official visits, including Comrade Trường Chinh (1962), Phạm Văn Đồng (1964), Lê Duẩn (1982), Nguyễn Thị Định, Nguyễn Thị Bình, Võ Văn Kiệt (1983), as well as Hoàng Quốc Việt, Hoàng Văn Thái, Tố Hữu, Hồng Hà, and others. This truly reflected the deep concern and attention of the Party and the State toward the mine’s workers, and was also a great source of pride and honor for the staff and workers of Hà Lầm Coal Mine. Such attention became a powerful source of encouragement, motivating the mine’s cadres and workers to overcome hardships and difficulties and to successfully fulfill the tasks assigned by higher authorities.

        In 1986, the entire country entered the period of Renovation (Đổi Mới). Like the coal industry as a whole, Hà Lầm also entered a phase of change of great significance. This required a new shift in thinking, first and foremost in economic thinking; the leadership and management apparatus, as well as working styles and methods, also had to change to align with the nation’s renovation process.

        The mine strengthened its direction and management, enhanced supervision, and implemented a clear, transparent, and fair system of rewards and penalties. Emulation movements were launched with practical and specific content, taking exemplary collectives and individuals as the core. Creative ideas, proposals, and initiatives were encouraged, promoting technical innovations, production rationalization, and the application of new technologies.

           
IV/ Period 1987–2000

        During the Renovation period, the coal industry implemented comprehensive modernization, moving toward industrialization and the modernization of production and business operations (1986–1999).

        The period from 1986 to 1999 was a time of great difficulty for the country. In 1999, the coal industry faced its most severe crisis.

        The failure to fulfill two five-year plans during the 1976–1985 period left serious consequences for the coal industry in general and Hà Lầm Mine in particular. Mining areas were reduced, coal consumption slowed, workers lacked jobs, incomes were low, and living conditions were difficult. Meanwhile, the State required state-owned industrial enterprises to assume full responsibility and autonomy based on their production and business results. The living conditions of coal industry workers—including the staff and workers of Hà Lầm Mine—which had already been difficult, became even more challenging under the self-responsibility mechanism.

        In this context, in December 1986, the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party decided to reform the country’s economic management mechanism. The economy shifted from a centrally subsidized system to a market-oriented mechanism with five economic sectors operating on an equal legal footing. This decision opened a bright, new, and highly promising path for the national economy and for the coal industry.

  
        In entering a market economy, the key issue is maintaining credibility with customers, which means meeting their requirements in terms of product type, size, quality, ash content, moisture level, and delivery time. To achieve this, in addition to human factors, it is necessary to have appropriate technology, increased productivity, reduced production costs, and lower product prices. Clearly recognizing this, the mine’s leadership took to heart President Hồ Chí Minh’s teaching: “Daily work is the foundation of emulation.”

       Emphasis was placed on technological solutions to improve labor productivity and product quality while reducing production costs. In underground coal mining, the mine modified several drilling and blasting setups in both longwall faces and main roadways, thereby reducing explosive consumption by 15–20%, increasing the proportion of lump coal by 5%, and improving classification to raise the share of fine coal grades 3 and 4A to 40%. The mine also successfully applied technical innovations using concrete rock bolts for roadway support, overcoming shortages of timber and steel and reducing timber consumption from 58 m³ per 1,000 tons to 40 m³ per 1,000 tons of coal.

V/ Period 2001–2007

          After the economic crisis in Southeast Asian countries in 1997, the national economy in general—and the coal export activities of the Vietnam National Coal Corporation and its member enterprises in particular—were severely affected. Under the direct guidance of the Politburo and the Prime Minister, the Vietnam National Coal Corporation and its member units drew lessons from the coal industry crisis of 1999 and proposed new solutions to overcome difficulties and stabilize development.

        By the end of 2000, the entire coal industry had restored a high growth rate in coal production. Production management was aligned with domestic and export market demand, while coal stockpiles were maintained at appropriate levels to ensure supply readiness. Several indicators reached record highs since the establishment of the Vietnam National Coal Corporation in 1994. In line with this positive momentum, Hà Lầm Coal Mine in 2000 was able to provide sufficient employment for its workers, with employee incomes increasing by 10–16% compared to 1999. The mine applied technical advancements and introduced new technologies into production, notably the use of mobile hydraulic supports in longwall mining. Hà Lầm was the first underground coal mining unit within the Vietnam National Coal Corporation to apply mobile hydraulic supports in longwall faces. At the same time, the mine invested in and installed a 230-degree inclined conveyor system to transport coal from the −51 level upward.

        In 2000, raw coal production reached 556,488 tons, equivalent to 114% of the plan, while coal consumption reached 534,014 tons, or 120%. Revenue totaled VND 102 billion, achieving 108% of the target.

        In 2001, raw coal production reached 599,741 tons, equivalent to 105% of the plan. Coal consumption reached 622,650 tons, or 111%, with revenue totaling VND 143.5 billion. The year 2001 also marked an important milestone when the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Coal Corporation issued Decision No. 405/QĐ-HĐQT dated October 1, 2001, officially renaming Hà Lầm Mine as Hà Lầm Coal Company, a member of the Vietnam National Coal Corporation.

• In 2003, raw coal production reached 834,846 tons, achieving 103% of the plan, while coal consumption reached 796,888 tons, equivalent to 107.6%. Revenue amounted to VND 218.7 billion.

• In 2004, raw coal production reached 1,201,606 tons, achieving 104.5% of the plan, while coal consumption reached 1,092,736 tons, equivalent to 110.5%. Revenue totaled VND 343.8 billion, reaching 112% of the target.

• In 2005, raw coal production reached 1,487,307 tons, with coal consumption of 1,271,132 tons. Revenue amounted to VND 445.8 billion.

• In 2006, raw coal production reached 1,778,521 tons, while coal consumption reached 1,621,773 tons. Revenue totaled VND 532.5 billion.

• In 2007, raw coal production reached 1,764,621 tons, with coal consumption of 1,632,679 tons. Revenue reached VND 598.9 billion.

   

       It can be said that over 20 years of implementing the Renovation process initiated and led by the Communist Party of Vietnam, and under the direct guidance of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group, along with ministries, sectors, and leaders from central to local levels, the miners of Hà Lầm Coal Company have continued to write new glorious chapters in their history. They have further upheld and enriched the tradition of “discipline and solidarity,” demonstrating resilience, courage, intelligence, and creativity, while consistently fulfilling production and business tasks with rapid growth.

        From 2000 onward, in implementing the Party’s resolutions on industrialization and modernization of the country, and in line with the policies of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group to build modern mines that are lean in manpower, green, clean, and safe, Hà Lầm Coal Company has made significant efforts. Recognizing that achieving high productivity and output, as well as improving workers’ incomes, depends not only on human factors but also on machinery and equipment, the company invested nearly VND 200 billion over five years in modern equipment. This investment included conveyor systems with a total length of more than 2 km for coal transportation; rock drilling systems; side-dump loaders; roadway tunneling combine machines; backhoe excavators with bucket capacities ranging from 1.2 to 4.6 m³; and dozens of BELAZ and Volvo trucks with payloads ranging from 25 to 32 tons.

      Physical facilities, from workshops and offices to collective housing for workers, were newly built and invested in with modern and well-equipped standards. Thanks to the effective investment in technological innovation, annual coal output, meters of roadway development, overburden excavation, coal consumption, and revenue all recorded growth rates of 20–25%.

       In 2007, in accordance with Decree No. 109/2007/ND-CP dated June 21, 2007, issued by the Prime Minister on the conversion of wholly state-owned enterprises into joint-stock companies, and the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group on transforming group enterprises to operate under the equitization model, important changes were implemented. On September 19, 2007, the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group approved the equitization plan to transform Hà Lầm Coal Company – TKV into Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV. During this period, the collective staff and workers of the company made great efforts to carry out the necessary steps to transition the company’s operating model to a joint-stock structure.

VI/ Period 2008 – Present

        On January 28, 2008, the company held its Founding General Meeting of Shareholders to establish Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV. The meeting approved the Company’s Charter on organization and operation, elected the members of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board, and adopted the production and business plan.

        Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV was established with a charter capital of VND 93 billion. Of this amount, state-owned shares held by the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group totaled 5,343,153 shares, accounting for 57.46% of the charter capital. Preferential shares sold to 3,596 employees of the company amounted to 2,697,000 shares, representing 29% of the charter capital. Shares sold through public auction to 12 investors totaled 1,259,847 shares, accounting for 13.5% of the charter capital.

        The company is licensed to operate in the following business areas: coal mining, processing, and trading; manufacturing, repair, and refurbishment of mining equipment, transport vehicles, and mechanical products; construction of mining, industrial, transportation, civil works, power lines, and substations; road, rail, and waterway transportation; production of construction materials; management and operation of small ports; and the provision of hotel, accommodation, catering, and domestic and international tourism services. The company is also engaged in the import and export of machinery, equipment, materials, spare parts, and goods serving production and daily life.

        In 2008, the staff and employees of Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV overcame difficulties caused by fluctuations from the global economic downturn. At the same time, timely solutions were implemented to curb inflation and stabilize production. As a result, the company successfully fulfilled its planned production and business targets for 2008, including the following indicators:

• Raw coal production reached 1,692,379 tons.
• Coal consumption reached 1,423,753 tons.
• Revenue amounted to VND 864.66 billion.

        On February 3, 2009, Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV commenced construction of the underground mining project below the −50 level at Hà Lầm Coal Mine. This was the first mining project in Vietnam to open coal seams using three vertical shafts, with a total investment of over VND 2.2 trillion, a designed output capacity of 2.4 million tons per year, and a mining life of 40–50 years (excluding the period of basic construction). On November 12, 2009, Hà Lầm miners officially reached the −300 level, marking a major milestone in the development history of Vietnam’s coal industry. This was a particularly significant event, affirming the growing strength of Hà Lầm miners and gradually reinforcing the “Hà Lầm Coal” brand in the market economy.

         With strong determination to fulfill and surpass planned targets in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Company’s establishment (August 1, 1960 – August 1, 2010), the collective staff and workers of the Company exceeded the assigned production and business targets in 2009, including the following indicators:

• Raw coal production reached 1,775,140 tons.
• Coal consumption reached 1,722,859 tons.
• Revenue amounted to VND 1,065.6 billion.

       On February 9, 2010, the staff and workers of Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV were honored to welcome Comrade Nông Đức Mạnh, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, on an official visit. He commended and acknowledged the achievements attained by the company’s workforce and management in recent years, recognizing their contributions to social stability and the overall development of the national economy, as well as to the fulfillment of the goal of ensuring national energy security.

      On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Company’s establishment (August 1, 1960 – August 1, 2010), Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – TKV was honored to receive the First-Class Independence Order awarded by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

        On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Company’s establishment (August 1, 1960 – August 1, 2015), Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company – Vinacomin was honored to receive the First-Class Labor Order awarded by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

       After 66 years of striving for development and growth, from a few small, scattered, and manual mining sites, Hà Lầm has become a large-scale company with modern technology. Its workforce is sizeable and highly skilled, with professional and technical qualifications continuously improving to meet the demands of production and development.

     Every worker and staff member of Hà Lầm Coal Joint Stock Company takes pride in the company’s traditions and its heroic, glorious history—both during years of hardship and in its path of development. They are proud of the prestigious honors awarded by the Party, the National Assembly, and the State to generations of Hà Lầm miners, including the titles of Heroic Unit of the People’s Armed Forces and Heroic Labor Unit in the Renovation period.