The mining industry plays a very important role in Vietnam’s economy, as mineral trade accounts for a large share of the country’s overall trade. In 2010, the export value of Vietnam’s mining industry, excluding natural gas, was estimated at US$7.74 billion, and accounted for 11 percent of Vietnam’s total export volume. Meanwhile, the number of employees in the sector was estimated at over 130,000, accounting for 3.2 percent of the country’s total labour force.
Mineral resources in Vietnam are abundant and diversified with good quality and reserves. According to results of exploration, iron ore reserves are about one billion tonnes, chromites 20 million tonnes, copper 751,000 tons. Other minerals include tin, wolfram, gold, lead, zinc, uranium, antimony, rare earths, gem, limestone and clay. Some minerals with large potential and high economic value are being exploited for socio - economic development of the country.
Some major minerals produced in Vietnam for export are barite, chromites, coal, ilmenite, limestone, crude oil, phosphate rock, tin, and zinc. Generally, all chromites, ilmenite, and crude oil are produced for export. Meanwhile, barite, coal (anthracite), limestone, and zinc production are mostly purchased domestically, as well as exported in certain quantities.
The Vietnam aluminium industry is developed on a fast track in the Highland and Central coastal zones with bauxite deposits exploration, mining, and production of alumina, aluminium bar and aluminium commodity products.
The Tan Rai Bauxite -Aluminum Complex (Vietnam National Coal, Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited - Vinacomin) is under development with capacity of 600,000 MT of alumina per year, total investment capital of US$493 million; Nhan Co (Dak Nong) alumina refinery is being constructed with capacity of 300,000 MT of alumina per year and total investment capital of about US$250 million. Projects are under preparation to establish some companies for mining bauxite and refining alumina in Dak Nong province, with capacity of the first stage being 1.9 million MT alumina per annum, and total investment capital of approximately US$1,600 million.
The metal mineral industry is restructuring the mineral operation units at localities in the direction of establishing joint-stock companies with participation of local companies for investment, exploitation and intensive processing of minerals in industrial scale in Tay Bac, Viet Bac, Central region and highlands.
Mining chemical and construction material industry pushes up investment in production of industrial explosive materials, cement, building glass and other materials applying modern technology.
Vinacomin has put into operation Thai Nguyen Zinc Plant of 10,000 MT/year and Lao Cai Copper Refinery of 10,000 MT/year. The corporation is planning to develop the projects of Thanh Hoa chromites, Cao Bang and Lao Cai steel billet plants and contribute capital for the establishment of Thach Khe iron ore mining joint-stock company.
A floating glass plant at Chu Lai (Quang Nam) open economic zone is being built with capacity of 700 tons of liquid glass per day; Quan Trieu (Thai Nguyen) cement plant of 600,000 tons per year; expansion of La Hien (Thai Nguyen) Cement Plant with 600,000 tons per year; Bauxite exploration projects in the Central Highlands and Sin Quyen (Lao Cai) copper project; and Titanium oxide joint-venture company in Binh Thuan with capacity of 5,000 tons of TiO2 per year.
The major processed minerals are cement, refined copper, fertilizer materials (ammonia, phosphate, and urea), rolled steel, refined tin, and zinc. Cement, fertilizer materials, and rolled steel production are for domestic consumption, except some refined tin that is exported to Malaysia for further refining to upgrade its purity to more than 99 percent.
Vietnam’s mineral industry is comprised of several large state-owned enterprises that produce, distribute, and trade such major mineral commodities as cement, coal, fertilizer materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals, oil and gas, and salt. Several foreign companies also work in joint venture with the state-owned enterprises or local governments to manufacture cement, mine gold, and produce oil and gas. Moreover several foreign companies from Australia, Canada, China, and New Zealand are exploring for copper, gold, iron ore, nickel, and tungsten.
Various geological surveys have found that Vietnam is endowed with a wide range of mineral resources. However, the country’s mining sector is still underdeveloped, and many available mineral reserves remain unexploited. Recently, the situation has been changing. Some large-scale mining projects are being implemented such as Lam Dong bauxite mining, Co Dinh chromites mining and Thach Khe iron mining. It is said that these projects are of key significance for the nation’s industrialization and modernization.
In Vietnam, there are two main kinds of bauxite, namely bauxite with sediment origin and bauxite with weathered origin laterite from basalt stone. Crude bauxite reserves in Vietnam are estimated at 8 billion tonnes, primarily laterite bauxite. Bauxite is found in Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Rai, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Binh Duong, Quang Ngai and other provinces
Bauxite reserves are measured at 5 billion tonnes in Dak Nong province. At present, the ores are being studied for alumina production.
Other minerals like copper, lead, zinc, tin, titanium, chromites, gold, silver and gemstones are also found in small reserves in many provinces and cities. Several ores have been found and exploited.
Huong Ly
Vietnamese
