In 1978, when Mong Duong Coal Mine was still a fledgling unit, the name Ha Van Hong became a symbol of pioneering spirit in creative labor. A tunnel excavator trained in Poland , Mr. Hong was associated with Construction Site 6 of Mong Duong Coal Mine from its early days. With his intelligence and strong hands, he and his teammates continuously set new tunnel excavation records, causing the mine's production to skyrocket. Many technical innovations he proposed were widely applied throughout the industry, saving hundreds of man-days and improving the safety of miners.
For example, consider the story of digging 107 meters of tunnel in 1978. That was also the first year Mr. Hong was the team leader. At that time, to complete the task under difficult and scarce conditions, Mr. Hong came up with a very effective solution. Instead of carrying 8-meter-long rails, he cut them in half to 4-meter sections. Instead of having the workers work in 3 shifts, he divided them into 4 teams. By utilizing the extra time of the work shifts and the ease of carrying the rails, each team of workers dug 0.9 meters of tunnel per day; a total of 3.6 meters per day; and in that month, with 31 days, they would have dug 110 meters - exceeding the assigned target by 10 meters. 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. Twenty years working in the mine, I understood the hardships, difficulties, and dangers faced by the miners. Therefore, throughout my years of service, I always encouraged my colleagues, helped them, and created joy for them in their work,” Mr. Hong recalled.
For his tireless contributions, Mr. Ha Van Hong was awarded the title of Hero of Labor by the President of Vietnam in 1985, becoming the first person from Mong Duong to have his name inscribed in gold 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 Mine, Nguyen Trong Thai, a young man from Hai Duong, has written an extraordinary journey from a humble coal miner to a Hero of Labor during the đổi mới (renovation) period.
From his early days as an apprentice at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship School to becoming the team leader of the tunneling team bearing his name, Mr. Thai has always been a pioneer in every task. For seven consecutive years, his team led the entire industry in productivity and workplace safety. Hundreds of his initiatives have been implemented, helping Ha Lam complete many strategic projects.
Notably, in 2011, he was the first person to descend to a depth of -300 meters – a historic turning point for the coal industry in vertical shaft mining. His footprint was cast in bronze and preserved in the TKV (Vietnam Coal Corporation) tradition room as a symbol of the miner's courage and determination.
Hailing from the countryside of Thai Binh province, Pham Dinh Duan's journey into mining was a matter of destiny. Having worked with Vang Danh Coal Joint Stock Company for twenty years, Mr. Duan embodies the spirit of the miners of the industrialization and modernization era. As the team leader of Mining Workshop 14, he and his colleagues have consistently maintained productivity exceeding targets by 10-15% annually. His technical innovations have helped increase productivity by more than 1.3 times, ensuring absolute safety in production.
On June 4, 2025, the President signed a decision awarding the title of Hero of Labor to coal miner Pham Dinh Duan - a well-deserved reward for a miner who has silently dedicated himself to the work deep underground for two decades.
From Ha Van Hong – the pioneers who paved the way in Mong Duong, to Nguyen Trong Thai – whose footprints are found at a depth of -300 meters, and Pham Dinh Duan – the hero of the new era, they are vibrant pieces of the enduring journey of Vietnamese miners. No matter how many years pass or how much technology changes, the spirit of "Discipline and Unity" continues to flow like a constant current in the veins of generations of coal miners.
High above, deep in the mines, heroic miners are still tirelessly searching day and night for energy sources for the country. It is they – the Labor Heroes of the Coal Industry – who are continuing to write the heroic epic of the Quang Ninh mining region, ensuring that black gold is not just a resource, but also a symbol of the strength of the Vietnamese people.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/chuyen-nhung-nguoi-tho-mo-anh-hung-3384003.html
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