Dong Pao rare earth mine in Lai Chau is more than 132 hectares large, the largest in Vietnam, expected to be exploited 10 years after being licensed.
Mr. Luu Anh Tuan, Director of Vietnam Rare Earth Joint Stock Company (VTRE), said that the business and partner Blackstone Minerals (the unit negotiating bidding for rare earth mines with Vietnam) are planning for the auction. Dong Pao mining price. "As soon as the auction is successful, we will use ore from this mine and new mines will be granted for production," Mr. Tuan said.
Rare earth samples at Dong Pao mine in November 11. Image: Gia Chinh
VTRE's plan is to coordinate with Blackstone Minerals Company to exploit, manage and operate the mine according to international standards with European environmental certificates. This not only helps meet environmental and human requirements but also ensures the supply of standard products to global companies.
According to Mr. Tuan, the work that has been and is being prepared to be implemented includes: Testing rare earth materials on a small-scale production line in 2023; provide mining plant design and process; Design and train experts for a plant to separate ores into rare earth products with purity of 95% or more to be put into the separation plant in 2024.
A representative of Lai Chau Rare Earth Joint Stock Company (Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group), the management unit of Dong Pao rare earth mine, said that in recent times the parties have had field surveys and will organize them in the near future. sample collection for testing. “Currently, the parties have not signed any specific agreements with each other. This work will be implemented in the near future, depending on the partner," the company representative said.
Dong Pao rare earth mine area in Lai Chau in December 12. Image: Gia Chinh
Rare earths include 17 elements, most of which play an irreplaceable role in the production of high-tech equipment, batteries, permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines, aircraft, phones and defense industry. According to a 2022 announcement by the US Geological Survey, China has the largest rare earth reserves, 44 million tons; followed by Vietnam 22 million and Brazil 21 million tons.
For three decades, China has been the world's largest producer and exporter of rare earths, accounting for 80% of total global production. By 2010, when the country tightened exploitation and export, rare earths began to be hunted around the world. Countries leading in technological development come to Vietnam in the hope of obtaining alternative sources of rare earths.
Dong Pao mine is more than 132 hectares large, about 10 km from Tam Duong town, Lai Chau province. In December 12, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment licensed Lai Chau Rare Earth Joint Stock Company (Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group) and its Japanese partner to exploit Dong Pao mine. The reason this mine has the largest reserves in the country can be exploited immediately on an industrial scale. However, the mining process in recent years has encountered many obstacles from technology to mechanism.
According to the Planning for exploration, exploitation, processing and use of minerals for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, just approved by the Prime Minister in July 7, the total output is expected to reach more than 2023 million tons. ore each year, two mines are focused on exploitation: Dong Pao (Lai Chau) and Yen Phu (Yen Bai).
