Gangwon Province Turns 'Abandoned Coal Gangue' into a 'Golden Egg'... Full-Scale Industrialization Begins

Gangwon Province Secures New Growth Engines Through Coal Gangue Resource Utilization
Coal Gangue Sheds Its Waste Label and Is Reborn as a 'Future Material'
Research Project on Coal Gangue Completed, Laying the Foundation for Resource Utilization

The Global Headquarters of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (headed by Sohn Changhwan) announced on December 16 that it will actively pursue a project to convert 'coal gangue,' which has been difficult to utilize until now, into an alternative industrial resource in order to secure new growth engines for former mining areas.

A view of Gangwon Provincial Government Building. Provided by Gangwon Provincial Government

Coal gangue was excluded from the category of waste following the enactment of an ordinance by the Ministry of Environment last year and the establishment of related ordinances by the province and Taebaek City. With the completion this year of a status survey and a research project to establish a basic plan, the foundation has now been laid for the full-scale implementation of the project starting next year.

With the completion of this year's research project on coal gangue, specific utilization plans have been developed to establish the foundation for coal gangue resource utilization. These include: progress on the status survey of coal gangue in former mining areas and analysis of storage site characteristics; assessment of the potential for coal gangue utilization in various industrial fields such as construction, environment, and new materials; strategies for industrialization and investment attraction; and improvements to the management system and economic feasibility analysis.

In particular, next year, the province plans to invest 500 million won to focus on core commercialization stages such as research and development (R&D) of products utilizing coal gangue, support for pilot production, and the establishment of industrial certification standards, based on the results of the research project.

In addition, the province is hoping for the swift passage of a delegated authority measure included in the amendment to the Gangwon Special Act, which would allow for the sale of stored gangue in national forests, so that companies can stably secure raw materials. According to provincial officials, this would accelerate the development of materials and components utilizing gangue, expand corporate participation, and help establish a new industrial ecosystem in the former mining areas.

Sohn Changhwan, Head of the Global Headquarters, stated, "The resource utilization of coal gangue will serve as an important turning point for the industrial restructuring and the establishment of a sustainable growth foundation in the former mining areas," adding, "We will provide support throughout the entire process, from institutional foundation building to commercialization, so that it leads to revitalizing the local economy and creating jobs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.