Assessment of the Air Environment in Open-Pit Coal Mining Area in Cam Pha Region, Quang Ninh Province

Abstract

Quang Ninh is the main coal mining province in Vietnam, with open-pit coal mining activities concentrated in the Cam Pha area. Coal mining activities, on the one hand, bring about economic development for the locality, but on the other hand, also cause impacts on the landscape, ecology, and environment, generating dust, noise, emissions, and potential risks of environmental incidents. By collecting and synthesizing documents, conducting field surveys, consulting with the community, and analyzing statistics, the research has summarized the air environment issues in the open-pit coal mining area of Cam Pha, identifying sources of impact on air quality. The main source of dust and gas is concentrated in the coal mining site area because, to carry out coal mining activities in open-pit mines, it is necessary to remove the soil and rock covering the surface using large machinery, such as excavators and blasting drills. Additionally, dust and gas emissions are generated by vehicles transporting waste soil and rock from the mining area to the dumping areas. The air environment in the open-pit coal mining area in Cam Pha is affected by total suspended particulate matter, exhaust gas, and explosive gas, especially in the dry season. In particular, the monitoring results of high dust concentrations are concentrated in the opening coal area, the transportation route, and the screening area. The study also synthesizes the technological measures currently being used in dust control and reducing emissions into the environment at current open-pit coal mining units. From there, the researchers proposed mining management solutions, implementing measures to minimize dust emissions to protect air quality in the Cam Pha area, ensuring sustainable economic development for the coal industry and Quang Ninh province.