Vietnam will, under a recent national coal development strategy, explore more coal mines, and exploit more coal using advanced and environmentally-friendly technologies in the coming years, according to local newspaper Vietnam Economic Times on Tuesday.

     Under the strategy on developing the domestic coal sector by 2025 approved by the Vietnamese government on July 7, the country will produce 48-50 million tons of coal in 2010, and complete exploration of new coal mines in the northern Red River Delta by 2015.

     Using more advanced technologies in all stages of coal production, the sector will churn out more high-quality coal, and affect the environment less.   

     Vietnam exploited nearly 41.2 million tons of coal in 2007, up 11.5 percent against 2006, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

     Vietnam exported nearly 13.9 million tons of coal worth 728 million U.S. dollars in the first half of this year, down 14.9 percent in volume but up 43.3 percent in value against the same period last year, said the office.