Journey from rice fields to miner boy
In early June, the sun was blazing hot, I followed the miners of Production Team No. 1, Mining Workshop No. 14 (Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company) towards the mine entrance. After the first shift change, each step was firm and agile towards the mine entrance, starting a new journey underground. Through each layer of iron doors, thick darkness gradually covered the entire mine, leaving only the flickering lights of helmets and the sound of footsteps echoing in the deep underground. Underground, the hum of ventilation fans echoed, the steady rumble of drilling machines blended into the familiar sounds of work, signaling the start of a new production shift. The leader of the group, with a muscular figure and bright eyes under the brim of his helmet, was Mr. Pham Dinh Duan - a miner who has spent more than 20 years of his life attached to the mining profession, affectionately called "underground hero" by his colleagues.
Today, Mr. Duẩn’s production team continues to take on the job of cutting coal at levels +0 to +105. The team’s goal in the first shift is to ensure absolute safety, striving to exceed the output of more than 1,500 tons of coal. In the middle of the shift, when the sound of the machine temporarily stops, the brothers take the opportunity to lean against the cliff to rest for a few minutes, Mr. Duẩn wipes his sweat and begins to tell me about the journey from the Thai Binh rice fields to the mine to start a business. It was not an easy journey, but it was filled with emotions and his enduring love for the mining profession.
Born in 1986 in Quynh Minh commune, Quynh Phu district, Thai Binh province, Mr. Duẩn grew up in the middle of rice fields stretching as far as the eye can see. His family has a tradition of working in the coal mines, his uncle and brother both worked in the coal mines. For people in the countryside, the job of a miner can be harsh, full of coal dust, dangerous. But for Pham Dinh Duẩn, the mining job has been a bond since his twenties, it is his blood and flesh, an indispensable part of his life.
He still remembers clearly the day he packed his bags, left his hometown to start a business in Quang Ninh (in 2003), carrying with him the teasing words of his uncle every time he came home on leave: "This guy is tall and big, he will be good at mining!". From those stories, he always saw the sparkling figures of miners in them. Leaving his hometown and entering the path of learning the mining profession was a bold decision for a young man in his twenties. In 2005, after graduating, he officially became a worker of Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company, starting his journey with the underground mining profession until now.
“If anyone has never entered a mine, it will be difficult to imagine what miners have to face every day: high temperatures, stuffy air, complex geology and countless lurking dangers. If you don’t love this job, you can’t last. At first, I was hesitant and scared. But then, with each shift in the mine, with each time facing hardship with my colleagues, I understood more why so many people still choose to stay in this job,” Duẩn confided.
For Mr. Pham Dinh Duan, every step underground, every sound of coal hoeing is not only labor, but also flesh and blood, a place to hone the mettle, camaraderie and heart of a true worker. From the position of a worker, in 2014, he was assigned the task of Production Team Leader No. 1 at Mining Workshop 14. Under his leadership, over the past 10 years, his team has mined more than 365,000 tons of coal, exceeding the plan by 110 to 115% each year. For many consecutive years, he has been recognized as an "Excellent Labor Team". The average income of workers in the team ranges from 20 to 22 million VND/month. These are impressive numbers that reflect the real efficiency and collective cohesion that he has built.
In addition to directing production effectively, he also inspires his teammates with his dedicated and responsible working spirit. It is this dedication and sense of responsibility that has created a united and effective production team. Not stopping at expertise, he continued to study at the University of Mining, then completed the Master's program in Mining in 2023 - becoming the first worker at Vang Danh Coal to have this qualification. But what he is most proud of is not his degree, but the team of young workers that he personally trained and honed. Over the past 10 years, he has directly mentored more than 100 new workers and interns, contributing to improving their skills and forming a solid successor team for the workshop.
Glory for the worker with "steel spirit"
With more than 20 years of working in the mine, going thousands of meters underground every day, miner Pham Dinh Duan is not only the leader of Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company, but also a symbol of the creative and persistent working spirit of modern miners. Recently, he was honored bythe President with the title of Labor Hero in the Renovation Period. This is the first honor of Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company and he is the 20th person in the Group to receive this noble award.
The title does not come from luck, but is the crystallization of more than 20 years of continuous dedication, in which the most outstanding are the initiatives and technical improvements of high practical value, contributing significantly to improving productivity, ensuring safety and production efficiency. Directly attached to the deep mine, Mr. Pham Dinh Duan is not only a good worker but also a person who dares to think, dares to do, and is always proactive in finding new things. He has researched and applied many valuable initiatives such as: Improving transportation equipment, rationalizing the organization of thin seam mining, initiatives to fully recover coal in difficult construction locations, improving drainage systems, fast tunnel support, etc. Many of these initiatives have been recognized and replicated by the Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group (TKV) throughout the industry, bringing in hundreds of millions of VND in profits each year.
The most memorable mark in Mr. Duẩn's journey of dedication lies not only in the numbers or certificates of merit, but also in a life-and-death memory that, to this day, those who witnessed it still have the same emotions. That was in April 2023, when a mine collapse occurred at Gieng Canh Ga, trapping two workers in extremely dangerous conditions. As the first person at the scene, Mr. Duẩn was undaunted. With his extensive experience, he quickly proposed the "digging the enamel mine" plan - a creative and flexible rescue method in complex geological conditions and urgent time. He directly directed and participated in the rescue team digging through the night in mud, rubble, toxic gas... so that nearly 15 hours later, two teammates were brought out safely. It was not only a successful rescue but also the clearest proof of the sense of responsibility, bravery and deep camaraderie of the miner named Pham Dinh Duẩn.
With his outstanding contributions, he has been awarded a series of noble awards: Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, titles of "National Excellent Young Worker", "TKV Excellent Worker", "Emulation Fighter of the Ministry of Industry and Trade", "Glorious Miner", "Honorary Citizen of Uong Bi City", and many other awards.
Mr. Duẩn confided: “For me, the most valuable reward is not only the certificate of merit or title, but also the shifts that end in absolute safety, the trusting eyes of my teammates every time I enter the furnace, and the tons of clean coal brought up from the ground, making a small contribution to the development of the unit. Those things, to me, are truly meaningful and the most proud.”
Mr. Trinh Van An, Chairman of the Trade Union of Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company, shared: “When mentioning Mr. Pham Dinh Duan, everyone immediately thinks of a simple, humble, steadfast and responsible person. The title of Labor Hero is not only a worthy reward for more than 20 years of hard work in difficult working conditions, but also a great source of inspiration for thousands of coal workers. Mr. Duan shows that, amidst the harsh working conditions of the underground, people with passionate hearts and a spirit of constantly striving for the development of the industry and the country can still shine. He is not only a good miner, but also a living symbol of the spirit of dedicated labor in the new era”.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/anh-hung-lao-dong-pham-dinh-duan-va-ngon-lua-dam-me-voi-nghe-mo-3361950.html
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