VietNamNet Bridge – The authorities of Binh Thuan province have permitted a 97-year-old man to continue his searching of a 4,000-ton-of-gold treasure on a local hill for an additional three months.



The exploration site on Tau Mount.


Last October, Mr. Tran Van Tiep, 97, paid VND500 million ($25,000) as deposit for exploring a “gold treasure” within 2,400sq.m in Tau Mount in Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan province until July 1, 2012. Tiep was permitted to drill at five sites, up to 35 meters deep.

Binh Thuan authorities have recently extended the permit by three months, to October 10, 2012. They also allowed Tiep to drill at 20 sites, at unrestricted depth. However, the province did not allow the treasure finder to expand the exploration area or use explosives.

So far, Tiep have made four drills but he has not found the treasure.

According to Tiep, in late World War II (around 1943), after surrendering to the Allies, Japanese general Yamashita led a fleet of 84 warships carrying gold to Ca Na Bay (between Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces in central Vietnam). The Japanese army hid around 4,000 tons of gold at a mount near the sea.

This is the third time, since 1993, Tiep was licensed to explore the treasure on Tau Mount.

On October 16, 1993, Binh Thuan province’s Chairman Dang Van Hai licensed Tiep to “search for metal” on Tau Mountain. Tiep hired a geological engineer named Hoang Van Truong, who is also a “telepath” from the northern province of Phu Tho to help him find gold.

Since early 1994, Tiep hired bulldozers and excavators to explore the eastern part of Tau Mountain. After three months using mechanical vehicles, Tiep thought that he “approached” the cellar door.

After digging 3m deep into the rock, workers reported to him about the cellar door of 24m in width, and 80m in length, made by rock. Rocks are stuck together by a layer of lime. The information was similar to the information that he got in 1969. According to Tiep, the treasure is possibly 40m deep under the eastern rock layer of Tau Mountain.

To approach the treasure, Tiep paid billion of dong to hire workers and equipment to dig the mountain from 1993 to 2003.

Tiep has become very familiar to local people. They call him “The son of Tau Mount.” However, the man has not found out the treasure yet.

VietNamNet Bridge has published a report about this man, at:

97-year-old man searching for 4000 tons of gold


Mai Lan