Environmental protection in mineral exploitation activities

The Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee issued documents directing the strengthening of environmental control for mineral exploitation projects in the area, ensuring that before the projects come into operation, they must fully implement legal procedures, complete works, environmental protection measures (BVMT), waste treatment, etc. The province also set a roadmap to strive to stop exploitation and close all quarries for common construction materials by 2025 to restore the environment.

Currently, the province has 49 mineral exploitation licenses under the authority of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and 57 mineral exploitation licenses under the authority of the Provincial People's Committee. In 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued 4 decisions to close mines; granted 55 water resources licenses (including 12 underground water exploitation licenses and 43 surface water exploitation licenses) and 22 decisions to approve/adjust the licensing fee.

Accordingly, in recent times, Quang Ninh province has regularly directed and organized strict and effective management of mineral resources, and implemented licensing for exploration, planning, auctioning, mining, and transportation of minerals in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Minerals. Localities with mineral mines have also strengthened strict management, not allowing exploitation of mines whose mining licenses have expired, are in the process of applying for an extension of mining or closing mines; not allowing exploitation of units that have not completed legal procedures. At the same time, regular inspection and management of mining activities ensure that exploitation is in accordance with the design and assigned mine boundaries.

Quang Ninh province's consistent viewpoint is to resolutely not extend the term for mines that still have reserves but the mining activities have negative impacts on the environment and residential areas, and are not in line with the planning orientation. For mines that have expired mining licenses but still have reserves, but the scope of operation and impact on the ecological environment, natural resources and people's lives around the mine area are not significant, the term will be considered for extension.

Mineral exploitation units basically strictly comply with the legal regulations on minerals, land, and environmental protection; invest in the construction of environmental protection works to minimize pollution and impacts on the environment. Most mineral exploitation units fully and seriously implement the environmental protection deposit according to the regulations of the Vietnam Environmental Protection Fund and the Quang Ninh Provincial Environmental Protection Fund. In 2024, 62 mineral exploitation units will deposit environmental restoration funds for 88 projects, with a total deposit of 66,219 billion VND. Deposits will be refunded to 5 units with a total amount of 12,639 billion VND.

In addition, mineral exploitation units also strive to implement environmental and landscape protection solutions to suit the "green" development orientation of the province. Typically, the Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group and the Dong Bac Corporation have focused on implementing and completing many projects and environmental protection solutions used in production, researching and selecting mining, processing and screening technologies in the direction of synchronizing stages, investing in advanced and modern transportation equipment to minimize dust emissions into the environment, and performing regular and complete environmental monitoring in accordance with the environmental protection requirements of each project. Managing, using and operating well the invested environmental protection projects such as: Coal conveyor system to the port, overpass over National Highway 18, automatic car wash system from the mine through residential areas, mist spraying systems to suppress dust, wastewater treatment systems in accordance with the correct process to ensure wastewater meets standards before being discharged into the environment. Hazardous waste management arising from production is collected, classified, stored and treated in accordance with regulations; waste soil and rock are managed and dumped in accordance with planning and design; tree planting in areas where exploitation and dumping have ended and along transportation routes is effectively implemented to block dust and restore the environment, etc.

TKV alone has allocated hundreds of billions of VND for environmental protection activities such as: dredging drainage works; watering to suppress dust, cleaning the environment, landscaping the headquarters and production sites; collecting, transporting and treating waste, including maintaining the operation of centralized mine wastewater treatment plants, operating hazardous waste treatment plants, planting trees, and renovating and restoring the environment.

Minerals are non-renewable resources, important assets that must be managed, protected, exploited, used reasonably, economically and effectively. However, during the exploitation process, this activity can cause many impacts on the environment and society such as: loss of vegetation; change of ecological landscape; erosion of cultivated land, emissions polluting surface water, groundwater, affecting air quality; besides, there is a risk of causing incidents that seriously affect people. Therefore, Quang Ninh has been and will continue to strengthen control over mineral exploitation activities, with a roadmap to gradually close open-pit coal mines, brick and tile factories, and cement near urban areas of the province. In particular, it is necessary to strictly handle organizations and individuals who violate the law on environmental protection, especially in cases of intentional pollution and repeated violations without effective remedial measures.

Aquarius

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/bao-ve-moi-truong-trong-hoat-dong-khai-thac-khoang-san-3356716.html