The Ministry of Industry and Trade on June 5 approved a zoning plan for exploring, exploiting, processing and using ores of gold, copper, nickel and molindos in Vietnam by 2015, a vision to 2025, with total investment of more than VND12.7 trillion (US$793.75 million), the Vietnam News Agency reported.
The move is aimed to process ores of gold, copper and nickel into high-quality metals, serving the domestic demand, the agency said.
In the period of 2008-2015, in addition to small-scale gold ore mine sites in localities, Vietnam will focus on six industrial-scale gold mines, including Sa Phin and Minh Luong in northern Lao Cai province, A Vao-A Pey in the central provinces of Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue, Tra Nang in central highland Lam province, and Bong Mieu and Dac Sa in central Quang Nam province.
These mines will have a combined capacity of 3.25 tons a year. The capacity will be raised to five tons in the period of 2016-2025.
Besides, the country will boost exploiting, sorting and refining copper ores at seven industrial-scale mines in provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Dien Bien and Quang Nam along with small and medium-sized mines in Son La and Hoa Binh provinces.
Vietnam will build a metal nickel production plant in northern Son La province after 2013 with an annual capacity of 7,000-10,000 tons and a nickel sulphate plant capable of turning out 500-1,000 tons in northern central Thanh Hoa province in the period to 2015.
Based on the reserve exploration result at two mines of Kin Chang Ho and O Quy Ho in Lao Cai province, Vietnam will build a Ferro-molindos processing base with an output of 20-40 tons per year in 2016-2020. The output will be raised to 40-80 tons/year in 2021-2025 period. (VNA)
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