Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai has instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to quickly approve the environmental reports for Tan Rai and Nhan Co projects.

The Tan Rai bauxite project in Lam Dong province.

Deputies call for debate on Government’s bauxite report

The Deputy PM released the instruction after the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported to him regarding the implementation of bauxite and alumina projects in December 2009.

This was the second time the ministry has reported to the government about bauxite and alumina projects since the meeting chaired by Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai in July 2009 to review the implementation of PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s instruction related to these projects in a document dated April 29, 2009.

The first report submitted in July 2009 said related ministries, Vinacomin and Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces wished to urgently start these important projects, the second report said that by September 2009, 41 percent of the major bidding package of the bauxite-aluminum project in Lam Dong province was fulfilled.

Vinacomin’s deputy general director Vu Manh Hung said the first batches of equipment of over 800 tonnes in weight for this bidding package are now at the construction site, ready for installation to put the plant in operation in October 2010.

Hung said that resettlement of families that are affected by this project has been mostly completed. Vinacomin has built roads, power networks and water supply systems for a resettlement zone for 730 families. The group has also provided more than 9 billion dong to these families and presented 41 apartments to ethnic minority people worth 3.4 billion dong.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang said both the Tan Rai and Nhan Co projects have had environmental impact assessing reports. However, the Tan Rai project needs a new report because its capacity will be increased from 300,000 to 600,000 tonnes of alumina per year. Reports have been sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Deputy PM Hai asked the ministry to quickly consider and approve the report.

The two first bauxite and alumina processing projects in Tan Rai in Lam Dong province and Nhan Co in Dak Nong province have attracted the special attention and they are under the strict supervision of the National Assembly.

The estimated capacity of Tan Rai project is 600,000 tonnes of alumina per year. Initially, the capacity for the Nhan Co project was 300,000 tonnes but it was then raised to 600,000 tonnes of alumina per year.

Experts believe Vietnam has great potential for bauxite ore to produce aluminum, with a reserve of around over 5.4 billion tones, mainly in the Central Highlands. According to the bauxite mining and processing plans for between 2007 to 2015, approved by the Prime Minister, Vietnam will produce 6.4-8.4 million tones of alumina.

VietNamNet/Government’s website