Mr. Le Vu Tuan Anh, Head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Inspection Department, has issued an inspection conclusion regarding the compliance with laws and regulations related to mining activities at Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV).
TKV was granted Mining License No. 1084/2010 by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, allowing for open-pit mining of bauxite to supply raw materials for a 650,000-ton-per-year alumina production plant in Tan Rai West, Loc Ngai Commune, Ba Loan District, Lam Dong Province. The license is valid for 29 years from the date of issuance.
Headquarters of Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group in Hanoi (Photo: Nguyen Khanh).
Inspection authorities found that TKV had assigned the management and protection of mine boundaries, bauxite reserves, and the operation of bauxite extraction in the Tan Rai West area to its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lam Dong Aluminum Joint Stock Company – TKV, without contacting the Vietnam Minerals Management Department (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) for guidance on transferring the mining permit as required by law.
The company also exceeded the allowable slope angle by more than 10%. However, this violation was not subject to administrative penalties because TKV acted under urgent circumstances as stipulated in Article 11, Clause 1 of the Law on Handling Administrative Violations.
Additionally, the inspection uncovered that mining operations did not follow the approved mining design sequence. This violation was also not subject to administrative penalties due to force majeure as specified in Government Decree 158/2016 detailing certain provisions of the Minerals Law and the Law on Handling Administrative Violations.
Mining site of the Tan Rai Alumina Plant (Photo: TTXVN)
The Head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Inspection Department recommended that the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province closely monitor TKV’s mining activities and address any violations.
TKV is required to comply with legal regulations in its mining activities and contact the Vietnam Minerals Management Department to obtain guidance on the procedure for transferring the mining permit for Lam Dong Aluminum Joint Stock Company – TKV.
After implementing the inspection conclusions, TKV must report the results to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Inspection Department by April 25.
Payment of Mining Rights Fee Until 2023
The Lam Dong Bauxite-Aluminum Complex project was approved by the Prime Minister in 2005.
In March 2006, the Mining Corporation under TKV informed the People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province about the commencement of the project.
TKV prepared current status maps and cross-sectional drawings of the mining area for the years 2021-2022 and the first six months of 2023, as required.
The group also submitted regular reports on mining activities, statistical reports, and reserve inventories.
According to the reports, the output of mined ore in 2021 was over 4 million tons, in 2022 it was nearly 3.9 million tons, and in the first half of 2023, it was close to 2.3 million tons.
The inspection concluded that TKV did not exceed the permitted capacity stated in the mining license. TKV has paid the mining rights fee until the end of 2023.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/vi-pham-cua-tap-doan-tkv-tai-du-an-khai-thac-bauxite-o-lam-dong-20250212085057658.htm
