Lai Hong Thanh, Deputy Director of the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Viet Nam.

What was the response from the General Department of Geology and Minerals to the recent collapse of a gold mine in the northern Lao Cai Province?

Upon learning about the accident from social media, we immediately contacted the Lao Cai Department of Natural Resources and Environment to get further information about the accident and rescue efforts at the accident site.

We were informed that the Lao Cai Provincial Committee created an inspection team led by the committee chairman to go immediately to the site to give directions to rescue teams and try to find out what caused the accident.

According to a report from the Van Ban District People’s Committee on August 23, typhoon Danmu hit the district August 19 and caused heavy rains in Ma Sa Phin Hamlet. As a result, heavy floods were reported in Nam Xay Noi and Nam Xay Luong streams and swept away two workers and injured four others at the exploitation site of Vang Nhan Company in Ma Sa Phin Hamlet, Nam Xay Commune.

According to a report from Vang Nhan Company, seven people have died - two of them were workers from the company - and four people were injured. However, the number of deaths and injuries reported by media is somehow different. So we have to wait for an official report from the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment to confirm the deaths and injuries from the incident.

Do you have any comment on Lao Cai authorities’ management of mineral mines in general and of gold mines in particular?

Lao Cai is a province with rich mineral resources, including gold, copper, steel, apatite and others. I would say the total budget collected from mineral resources in Lao Cai ranks second in the country (after Quang Ninh Province). As a result, the Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee has defined that the mineral extraction industry is a major driving force for the province’s socioeconomic development. As a result, the provincial authorities have given special attention to the management of mineral extraction and exploitation. All mineral extraction and exploitation activities in the province must be in line with the country’s Mineral Law and relevant legal documents.

I would say that the Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee has done quite well with its assigned state management functions on mineral extraction and exploitation in the province.

However, some local authorities have certain limitations in their ability to manage mineral extractions and exploitations or to co-operate with concerned ministries, agencies and localities in accordance with the Law on Minerals.

In addition, illegal mineral extractions have been reported here and there, but local authorities seem to turn their heads. This has caused big anxiety for the general public.

Does the collapsed gold mine in Ma Sa Phin have a licence to operate?

No! The problem of illegal gold mining, particularly activities in Ma Sa Phin Hamlet, have been going on for several years, in spite of big efforts from local authorities.

Do you have any comment on the State’s management of mineral extractions nationwide?

Generally speaking, State management of mineral extraction activities has achieved notable success nationwide. I would say this is an important contributing factor to our mineral extraction industry’s sustainable development. Currently, we have a good set of complete legal documents on the implementation of the Law on Minerals. In addition, we also have a strategy on mineral extraction by 2020 with a vision towards 2030.

VNS