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| The mineral processing plant of Nui Phao Mineral Exploitation and Processing Company Limited. Photo: NPM |
Tighten management of high-risk activities.
Thai Nguyen is considered the "mining capital" of the country, with abundant resource reserves and a vibrant system of mining and mineral processing enterprises. However, along with the advantages of development comes increasing pressure to protect the environment and ensure industrial safety.
Given this reality, the province's stance is clearly and consistently defined: industrial development should not come at the expense of the environment, with safety as the core criterion of a modern and sustainable growth model.
From the beginning of the year, the Department of Industry and Trade proactively issued numerous in-depth guidance documents for mining enterprises and units using industrial explosives, focusing on tightening the management of explosives storage facilities, explosive precursors, and tailings pond systems - items that pose high risks and have a direct impact on the environment and people's lives.
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| Nui Phao Mineral Exploitation and Processing Company Limited organized a drill on responding to chemical spills, under the guidance and supervision of the Technical Safety and Environment Department (Department of Industry and Trade). |
Notably, the province promptly implemented two new documents from the Ministry of Industry and Trade , Circular No. 24/2025/TT-BCT and Circular No. 31/2025/TT-BCT, thereby forming a comprehensive and consistent legal framework from mine design and exploitation organization to risk management, requiring businesses to raise safety standards right from the investment stage.
Comrade Pham Van Tho, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, emphasized: Ensuring environmental safety in mineral exploitation and processing is a continuous imperative for the entire industry. Based on this, the Department of Industry and Trade is stepping up training, inspection, and supervision to ensure that all operational stages comply with technical standards and prevent incidents.
Guidance activities have also been extended to investors in industrial clusters, chemical companies, and LPG filling stations, with the requirement to rigorously inspect and approve all technical and environmental aspects before putting them into operation.
Simultaneously, the Department of Industry and Trade requires businesses to complete risk assessment reports and emergency response plans, considering these as important tools for early identification of risks and proactive response, rather than reactively handling incidents when they occur...
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| Supervising chemical and petroleum safety at Da Phuc Port (Thai Nguyen Petroleum and Gas Joint Stock Company). |
Raise the alert level for natural disaster risks.
Along with tightening management of production activities, another increasingly evident challenge is the risk of natural disasters, especially to wastewater reservoir systems under conditions of unusually heavy rainfall.
Climate change is increasing extreme weather events and unusual rainfall and flooding, putting many reservoirs and dams at high risk. In Thai Nguyen and some other localities, there have been several incidents of mud spills, landslides, and dam breaches, causing environmental damage and directly affecting people's lives.
For example, in early October 2025, a dike collapse at the Nam Son Iron Smelting Plant (belonging to Thai Nguyen Black Metallurgy Joint Stock Company, Nam Hoa commune), which served as a water reservoir for production, affected nearly 40 households in the surrounding area. This incident further raises concerns about the potential safety risks at industrial waste reservoirs, especially in the context of increasingly complex extreme rainfall events.
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| The embankment of the water reservoir serving production at the Nam Son Iron Smelting Plant (in Nam Hoa commune) has been promptly repaired. |
In response to this situation, the Department of Industry and Trade organized large-scale inspections to review the safety of all tailings reservoirs, tailings yards, and industrial explosives storage facilities in the area. Businesses were required to activate their disaster response plans, proactively reinforce embankments and landslide prevention structures, inspect drainage systems, and deploy personnel on standby to handle any situation and minimize the risk of incidents.
Sharing from practical experience, Mr. Dinh Van Hien, General Director of Bac Kan Mineral Joint Stock Company, the unit managing the large-scale reservoir in Cho Don commune, said: Managing wastewater reservoirs is always a major challenge. Each year, the reservoir receives more than 81,600 m3 of wastewater and sludge, requiring the company to regularly reinforce, compact, expand the waste disposal area and strictly comply with technical requirements to ensure safe operation and prevent risks to the environment and the local community.
The above experience shows that natural disasters are becoming an increasingly severe "test" for the reservoir systems of the mining industry. Raising the alert level and strengthening inspection and monitoring not only helps detect risks early but also forces businesses to invest in upgrading infrastructure, improving management processes, and aiming for long-term safety and sustainable development.
Strict management, comprehensive control
In the field of industrial explosives, the risk of accidents is always present if management is not strictly enforced. With the goal of "sealing" every link in the risk chain, the Department of Industry and Trade is implementing comprehensive control from licensing and safety training to monitoring blasting operations.
In 2025 alone, the Department issued, renewed, and adjusted 44 permits for the use of explosives; and simultaneously issued 135 safety training certificates for personnel directly using explosives and explosive precursors. In addition, 6 blasting service providers underwent periodic inspections to ensure that the entire blasting process strictly adhered to safety standards.
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| Hoang Nam Co., Ltd. (Cho Don commune) strictly controls the entire process of using industrial explosives in stone quarrying to minimize risks and ensure production safety. |
The acceptance of construction projects is considered the "final line of defense" in the safety assurance chain. In 2025, four explosives storage facilities at four mines were announced as completed and accepted, confirming that the projects meet technical requirements and are ready for safe operation according to regulations.
In the chemical sector, where risks are always present, control measures continue to be tightened. The Department of Industry and Trade has received 25 dossiers on preventive measures and 4 dossiers on chemical incident response plans; and has reviewed and submitted for adjustment 4 certificates of eligibility for chemical business.
Notably, the Department directly participated in and witnessed 11 chemical incident response drills at various businesses. These were considered "field tests," assessing the ability to respond quickly and the level of coordination between departments in emergency situations.
Simultaneously, the Department of Industry and Trade has assessed and advised on the issuance of 56 import licenses for chemicals listed in Table 3 – a group of chemicals subject to special control. Strict management throughout the entire process, from import, transportation, storage to use, is identified as the "key" to preventing the risk of widespread incidents.
The reality at the Da Mai Waste Treatment Plant (Tan Cuong commune) shows that strict chemical management is a key factor in ensuring safety. Mr. Nguyen Van Viet, Director of the plant, said: Every day, the unit uses about 90-100 liters of chemicals to treat 230-250 tons of waste. During peak times, when capacity increases sharply, chemical spraying is carried out continuously, and all stages of warehousing, mixing, and storage are closely monitored to ensure absolute safety.
Building a safe and transparent production environment.
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| The Khau Au gold mine (Yen Binh commune) - where mining operations have gradually become more organized. |
A key focus of the management work in 2025 is the Department of Industry and Trade's shift from a "check and handle" mindset to a "guide, prevent, and support businesses" approach. This approach is clearly demonstrated through inter-agency coordination activities.
A typical example is the Department of Industry and Trade's participation in the inter-agency inspection team to address complaints from residents of Hamlet 13, Phu Lac Commune, regarding the operations of Nui Phao Mineral Exploitation and Processing Company Limited. The direct involvement of specialized agencies not only enhances the effectiveness of supervision but also contributes to increased transparency and strengthens community trust.
For the seven enterprises with tailings reservoirs, the Department of Industry and Trade has provided specific guidance on disaster prevention and control measures before the rainy season. These are not general recommendations, but detailed technical guidelines, tailored to the characteristics of each reservoir and each potential risk.
In addition, the Department of Industry and Trade has reviewed and requested revisions to the greenhouse gas inventory reports of 42 units. This is an important step in the roadmap to achieving net zero emissions. Standardizing the inventory process is encouraging businesses to change their energy usage methods, invest in green technologies, and reduce emissions…
Amidst the continued expansion of key industries, Thai Nguyen is tightening safety regulations, considering this a foundation for sustainable development. The increasing pressure for safety demands greater proactiveness, responsibility, and close coordination between businesses and management agencies. The provincial Department of Industry and Trade is gradually building a solid "safety shield" for industrial production activities, aiming towards a modern, green, and sustainable development model. |
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/tai-nguyen-moi-truong/202512/bao-ve-an-toan-moi-truong-cong-nghiep-a4d27b3/
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