The story of heroic miners

Every day, beside the coal mines, on high floors or in deep mines, there are people who work persistently day and night. They are miners, people who not only exploit tons of coal - the "black gold" of the Fatherland, but also ignite the fire of will, courage and dedication. From the first picks in the 80s to the generation of 4.0 miners today, the Vietnamese Coal industry has recorded many workers as Labor Heroes. Each of their stories is a source of inspiration, spreading enthusiasm to generations of coal miners.

In 1978, when Mong Duong Mine was still a young unit, the name Ha Van Hong became a symbol of pioneering spirit in creative labor. As a tunnel digger trained in Poland, Mr. Hong has been attached to Construction Site 6, Mong Duong Coal Mine since its early days. With his intelligence and strong hands, he and his teammates continuously set new tunnel digging records, causing the mine's output to skyrocket. Many technical initiatives proposed by him have been widely applied throughout the industry, helping to save hundreds of working days and improve safety for miners.

Laborer Ha Van Hong at his home in Mong Duong ward

For example, digging 107 meters of tunnel in 1978. That was also the first year Mr. Hong was a team leader. At that time, to complete the task in difficult and deprived conditions, Mr. Hong came up with a very effective solution. Instead of carrying 8 meters of rail, he cut it in half to 4 meters. Instead of letting his colleagues work in 3 shifts, he divided them into 4 groups. So, taking advantage of the extra time of the working shift and the ease of carrying the rail, each group of workers dug 0.9 meters of tunnel/day; 1 day dug 3.6 meters; that month, 31 days would be 110 meters - exceeding 10 meters of the assigned quota. That was also a record number for the tunnel digging team led by Mr. Hong.

Those difficult years are unforgettable memories for him. “I was a team leader from 1978 until my retirement in 1993. After 20 years in the mine, I understood the hardships, difficulties and dangers of the workers. Therefore, during my working years, I always encouraged my colleagues, helped them and created joy in their work,” Mr. Hong recalled.

With his tireless contributions, Mr. Ha Van Hong was awarded the title of Labor Hero by the President in 1985, becoming the first person from Mong Duong to be recorded in the history of the Coal industry.

Nearly four decades later, in the heart of the Quang Ninh coal region, that spirit continues to be ignited and spread. At Ha Lam Coal, Nguyen Trong Thai, a young man from Hai Duong , has written an extraordinary journey from a simple miner to a Labor Hero in the renovation period.

From the first days of learning the trade at the Vietnam - Soviet Friendship School, until becoming the leader of the tunneling team named after him, Mr. Thai has always been a pioneer in every task. For 7 consecutive years, his team has led the entire industry in productivity and labor safety. Hundreds of his initiatives have been applied, helping Ha Lam complete many strategic projects.

In particular, in 2011, he was the first person to set foot at a depth of -300 meters - a historic turning point in the Coal industry in vertical well mining. That footprint was cast in bronze and kept in the TKV tradition room as a symbol of the miner's bravery.

Laborer Pham Dinh Duan (Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company) in production shift.

From the countryside of Thai Binh , Pham Dinh Duan came to the mining profession as a predestined fate. With twenty years of working with Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company, Mr. Duan is the embodiment of a generation of miners in the period of industrialization and modernization. As the Team Leader of Mining Workshop 14, he and his teammates maintained productivity exceeding the plan by 10-15% each year. His technical innovations helped increase productivity by more than 1.3 times, ensuring absolute safety in production.

On June 4, 2025, the President signed a decision to confer the title of Hero of Labor on miner Pham Dinh Duan - a worthy reward for a miner who has silently contributed deep underground for two decades.

From Ha Van Hong - the pioneers who paved the way for Mong Duong, to Nguyen Trong Thai - the footprints at a depth of -300 meters, then Pham Dinh Duan - the hero of the new era, they are the living pieces of the persistent journey bearing the name of Vietnamese miners. Although many years have passed and technology has changed, the spirit of "Discipline and Unity" is still like a source flowing forever in the veins of generations of coal workers.

On the high floors, in the deep tunnels, the heroic miners are still tirelessly searching day and night for energy sources for the country. They - the Labor Heroes of the Coal Industry - have been writing the epic of Quang Ninh Mining Region, so that black gold is not only a resource, but also a symbol of the strength of the Vietnamese people.

Hoang Yen

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/chuyen-nhung-nguoi-tho-mo-anh-hung-3384003.html