Potassium salt mine project - symbol of Vietnam - Laos economic cooperation

During the visit and working session in the Lao People's Democratic Republic by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc on November 12, 2025, Vietnam Chemical Group (Vinachem) was honored to accompany the high-level delegation, participating in working sessions with Deputy Prime Minister Salermxay Kommasith and leaders of the Lao Government,

The purpose is to exchange and promote investment cooperation in the field of chemical and mineral industry, especially the project of exploiting and processing potassium salt in Khammouane province.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc talks with Lao President Salermxay Kommasith and leaders of the Lao Government.

Joining the working delegation, Vietnam Chemical Group had Mr. Phung Quang Hiep, Member of the Government Party Executive Committee, Party Secretary, Chairman of the Group's Board of Members; Mr. Nguyen Huu Tu, Member of the Board of Members, General Director of the Group; Mr. Dao Trong Cuong, Deputy General Director of the Group; representatives of the leaders of the professional departments and the Vietnam - Laos Chemical and Mineral Salt Company Limited.

Important milestone affirming foreign investment capacity

The project to exploit and process Potassium rock salt in Nongbok district, Khammouane province, invested by Vinachem through the Vietnam - Laos Chemical and Rock Salt Company Limited (Vilachemsalt), is one of the largest economic cooperation projects between Vietnam and Laos in the field of chemical industry. The project has a total investment of about 492 million USD, a designed capacity of 500,000 tons of Potassium/year, using modern underground mining technology to provide international standard Potassium chloride products, serving fertilizer production and industry in the region.

From August 2024, the project to exploit potash salt in Khammouane province will be restarted, under the direct guidance of the Vietnamese Government and the active coordination of the ministries and branches of the two countries. On November 2, 2025, Vinachem completed the revised Feasibility Study (FS), prepared by the international consultancy Chonfar Engineering & Technology, affirming the project's technical feasibility, economic efficiency and positive impact on local development.

In 2025, Vinachem has carried out a series of activities to prepare and promote the project: completing the transportation of equipment and materials from Vietnam and Thailand to the construction site in Khammouane; organizing an international scientific conference to consult leading experts on Potassium salt technology; working directly with many domestic and international partners to promote the project's progress.

Currently, the Vietnam Chemical Group is urgently implementing the next items of the project, at the same time completing all legal and technical documents and mobilizing financial and human resources, with the goal of striving to complete and launch the first commercial product in July 2027. This will be an important milestone, affirming Vinachem's capacity in investing abroad, as well as making practical contributions to the socio-economic development of Laos.

Pioneer in international cooperation

At the working program of Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Salermxay Kommasith, Vinachem proposed a number of important recommendations to promote the project's progress: requesting the Lao Department of Geology and Mines to speed up the appraisal and approval of FS, the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to shorten the time for approving the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, and at the same time allowing Vinachem to soon deploy technical infrastructure in the project area; requesting the Lao Government to apply special tax and financial incentives to the project like other projects in Laos.

These proposals received active support from the Lao Government, demonstrating the spirit of comprehensive cooperation and trust between Vietnam and Laos.

Mr. Phung Quang Hiep - Member of the Government Party Committee, Party Secretary, Chairman of the Board of Members attended the working session with Deputy Prime Minister Salermxay Kommasith and leaders of the Lao Government.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Phung Quang Hiep - Chairman of the Board of Members of the Vietnam Chemical Group (Vinachem) reported on the progress of the implementation of the Potassium Salt Project, affirming that the project's progress milestones are strictly built and controlled, closely following the set plan and roadmap. The Group is highly focused, calculating the progress every day to ensure the project goes into operation on time.

He emphasized: “Vinachem always attaches importance to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. The Potassium Salt Project not only has important economic significance, but is also a vivid symbol of friendship, trust and long-term strategic cooperation between the two governments and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.”

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tu - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Member of the Board of Members, General Director of the Group attended the working session with Deputy Prime Minister Salermxay Kommasith and leaders of the Lao Government.

Accompanying the delegation, General Director Nguyen Huu Tu affirmed Vinachem's determination to complete legal, financial and technical procedures to soon start the project, opening a new chapter in industrial cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Concluding the working trip, Vinachem's participation in the delegation accompanying Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc not only demonstrates the pioneering role of State-owned enterprises in international investment cooperation activities, but also demonstrates the spirit of "proactive integration - sustainable development" of the Vietnamese Chemical industry. With the Potassium Salt project in Khammouane, Vinachem continues to affirm its capacity to implement large-scale projects abroad, contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, for the goal of common prosperity of the two countries.

On the same day, Mr. Phung Quang Hiep and the Vietnamese Government delegation paid a courtesy call to Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, demonstrating the spirit of close cooperation and special friendship between the two countries within the framework of the working trip to promote project implementation.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/du-an-muoi-mo-kali-bieu-tuong-hop-tac-kinh-te-viet-lao-10395484.html