Solving the "thirst" for construction stone supply.

In 2026, Lao Cai will enter a peak period for the implementation of a series of large-scale infrastructure projects such as the upgrading of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line, and thousands of kilometers of rural roads. The pressure to meet deadlines weighs heavily on contractors, while the supply of construction stone – a key input – is facing a serious shortage.

According to the provincial construction sector's assessment, the total demand for construction materials in the province in 2026 will be approximately 6.3 million cubic meters, of which construction stone alone will require about 3.9 million cubic meters. However, the current supply only meets about 47% of the demand. The large gap between supply and demand is becoming a "bottleneck" directly affecting the progress of construction projects.

The reality on construction sites shows that, starting from the first quarter of 2026, a series of transportation and urban infrastructure projects accelerated simultaneously, leading to a sudden surge in demand for construction stone. Although contractors have proactively sought material sources, many quarries have expired mining licenses or have not yet completed legal procedures, resulting in localized shortages.

At the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway upgrade construction site, a representative from Nghe An Construction Corporation, the contractor for package XL2-NBLC (Km 190 + 420 to Km 244 + 155), stated that the company is currently implementing a 14.7 km section, including many important items such as the roadbed and 7 bridges, with a total contract value of 568 billion VND. Currently, most of the roadbed has been completed, and the company is constructing the asphalt concrete layer. However, the porous, textured asphalt concrete surface, using new technology, requires high-quality aggregate, while only the Luong Ha quarry in Phong Hai commune in the province meets this requirement. Limited supply poses a significant risk of material shortage for this crucial item. General Corporation 319 is also facing similar pressure. The site manager stated that the time for asphalt concrete construction is approaching, while the supply of standard aggregate is very scarce. If all the bidding packages are implemented simultaneously, the risk of shortages is unavoidable.

According to the monitoring of packages XL1-NBLC and XL2-NBLC, contractors are currently focusing on constructing the cement-stabilized aggregate layer and the first asphalt concrete layer, leading to a sharp increase in demand for aggregate. However, only a few quarries in the entire province meet the technical standards. When simultaneously deploying the porous asphalt concrete layer for all four lanes, the pressure of aggregate shortage will further increase.

According to the Northern Expressway Project Management Board, the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway upgrade project alone requires nearly 1.9 million cubic meters of crushed stone. Other projects in the area also need nearly 2 million cubic meters, pushing the total demand far beyond the current supply capacity.

According to a review, the total demand for construction stone in the province in the coming period is approximately 4.5 million ^m³ . However, currently, only 45 quarrying licenses for construction materials are valid in the province, with a total licensed extraction capacity of over 2.5 million ^m³ /year. Therefore, Lao Cai will face a shortage of approximately 1.65 million ^m³ of construction stone each year.

Due to the high demand for construction stone, many quarry owners in the area have proactively invested in additional machinery and equipment to increase capacity. However, the biggest bottleneck currently remains the legal procedures. Representatives from several quarries stated that their units have completed the application for increased mining capacity, but are still awaiting assessment and approval from relevant authorities. Due to various reasons, the licensing process has not yet been completed. Given that construction projects are completed within weeks, delays in increasing quarry capacity could lead to a more severe shortage of construction stone.

As the licensed quarry operator in Luong Ha, Phong Hai commune (the only quarry with sufficient stone materials to serve the construction of the porous asphalt concrete layer and surface roughening of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway), Mr. Nguyen Dinh Minh - the quarry's managing director - said: “We have completed the application to increase capacity from 200,000 to 500,000 ^m³ /year. At the same time, the company has invested in new equipment to increase production, and we hope that the authorities will soon approve the application so that we can produce enough to supply our customers.”

Similarly, the Khe Ban quarry in Bao Ha commune, the province's second quarry with sufficient raw materials to serve the construction of the porous asphalt concrete layer and surface roughening of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, has been shut down for several months while awaiting an extension. Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha, Deputy Director of the Khe Ban quarry, stated: “The quarry was licensed to operate until the end of 2025. The license has now expired, but the right to exploit a reserve of 230,000 ^m³ remains. Since the end of 2025, the company has submitted an application to the provincial authorities requesting an extension, but so far there has been no result. Currently, we have maintained our machinery and personnel, preparing for resumption of production. We request that the relevant authorities expedite the licensing process so that the company can resume operations to serve the market.”

In reality, the province still has abundant sources of construction stone. According to a review of 344 mineral mines for common construction materials (as approved by the Prime Minister ), 45 mines have been licensed for exploitation and their licenses are still valid, while 81 mines are either unlicensed or their licenses have expired. Notably, 16 mines are eligible for consideration for auction in the near future. Therefore, the supply of construction stone is not lacking; it's simply not yet fully utilized, despite its significant potential.

What businesses are most eagerly awaiting right now is the expedited processing of legal procedures. Through discussions with businesses, most have requested that the Provincial People's Committee direct relevant departments, agencies, and localities to closely adhere to Government Resolution 664/2025/NQ-CP in implementing special mechanisms to shorten the processing time for administrative procedures related to granting licenses for specific projects, while still ensuring resource and environmental management requirements are met according to the law. This is a crucial factor in ensuring the supply of stone materials for infrastructure construction and other projects amidst rising material demand.

Speaking with reporters, Mr. Pham Nang Chung, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: “In the past, to proactively secure a supply of construction stone materials, the provincial People's Committee leaders have conducted direct surveys and resolved difficulties for businesses. Following the direction of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with relevant sectors, has established an inter-agency working group to address difficulties and obstacles in the licensing procedures for mineral mines producing construction materials in general and stone quarries in particular.”

Several solutions are being implemented, such as applying special mechanisms to increase mine capacity, extending mining periods, and reviewing planning to put new mining sites up for auction. In 2026, the province will put 6 new mines up for auction, and add more than 30 feasible mines to the plan for auction and exploitation, in order to promptly meet market demand. However, the increased demand for materials will not lead to a relaxation of resource management by the relevant authorities.

Mines wishing to operate or adjust their capacity must fully comply with environmental conditions, mining safety requirements, and financial obligations as stipulated by law.

Mr. Pham Nang Chung - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment

Amidst rising material demand, addressing the shortage of construction stone is becoming an urgent task. Failure to resolve this issue promptly poses a significant risk of delays in key projects. Conversely, removing these bottlenecks will not only ensure a stable supply of materials but also contribute to efficient resource utilization and promote sustainable socio-economic development.

Presented by: Huu Huynh

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/giai-con-khat-nguon-cung-da-xay-dung-post898275.html