Mining Vietnam 2014 showcases advanced technologies   Participants at the event (Source: miningvietnam) A wide range of advanced global technologies and modern equipment in the field of mining will be introduced at t he second International Mining and Minerals Recovery Exhibition (Mining Vietnam 2014) scheduled for March 11-13 at the International Centre for Exhibition (ICE) in Hanoi. Apart from showcasing products, machinery, equipment and technologies, Mining Vietnam 2014 will offer visitors a chance to access advanced global mining technologies to improve their operations, increase the value of their products and enhance their competitiveness while seeking updated information about the market, partners and development trends of the Vietnamese and global mining industries through connection programmes to be held by trade promotion organisations and relevant ministries and sectors of Vietnam and some foreign organisations. During the exhibition, technical training programmes will be held and visitors can see trial operations of some types of equipment on site; specialised workshops will also be organised to allow participants to share knowledge and experiences about how to ensure safety of underground mining activities, optimise processing, protect the environment and restore natural resources after extraction. In the coming time, Vietnam is forecast to consume a very large amount of coal for economic development, especially such sectors as electricity, iron, steel and cement, the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Vietnam Economic News reported. In its plan to develop the coal sector to 2020 with a vision towards 2030, Vietnam set targets for the domestic output of commercial coal to reach 50-55 million tonnes by 2015, 60-65 million tonnes by 2020 and over 75 million tonnes by 2030 (in 2013, the output reached about 40 million tonnes). Investment in the extraction and processing of other kinds of minerals is forecast to increase. From now to 2020, about 1 billion USD, including both domestic and foreign investment, will be invested in the extraction of gold, bronze, nickel and the extraction and processing of serpentine, barite, graphite, fluorite and diatomite, according to the paper. The extraction and processing of minerals have expanded, raising the demand for modern equipment, machinery and technologies as well as advanced solutions to ensure the sustainable development of the coal industry while at the same time protecting the environment and saving natural resources. Mining Vietnam 2014 to be organised by the VCCI Exhibition Service Company Limited in association with the UK’s Allworld Exhibition Alliance is believed to create a specialised forum for mining businesses to update themselves on new technologies which can help them enhance the efficiency of their operations. Mining Vietnam 2014 has been supported by ministries and sectors such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) as well as overseas partners of the organisers. The first exhibition of this kind, Mining Vietnam 2012, attracted the participation of 126 domestic and foreign businesses. So far, about 80 percent of these companies have confirmed their participation in Mining Vietnam 2014. Exhibitors from foreign countries such as Australia, China, Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Poland and the UK have signed contracts to be present at strategic pavilions of the exhibition to attract visitors.-VNA