The information was released at a conference jointly organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group in Ha Long city on March 5 to discuss a plan to develop the three by 2020 with a vision to 2030.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Le Duong Quang said that the plan should follow the coal sector’s development strategy, which was approved by the Prime Minister on January 9, 2012.

It must ensure national energy security; meet socio-economic, environmental and technical requirements; fit the province’s socio-economic development plan and maintain stable jobs for more than 10,000 local miners, said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Do Thong.

The coal reserves in the three basins now total about 8.6 billion tonnes.