Illegal gold mining is heating up again.

On January 12th, the Quang Nam Provincial Police announced that the Phuoc Gia Commune Police (Hiep Duc District) had conducted patrols and raids to crack down on illegal gold mining activities in the Nuoc Trieng area, Ha Son Hamlet, Phuoc Gia Commune (bordering Tra Doc Commune, Bac Tra My District).

At the scene, authorities discovered mine shafts, tents, and equipment and machinery used for illegal gold mining.

The local police proceeded to expel the individuals from the area, destroying the generators, water pumps, grinding mills, water pipes, and all tools and equipment used for illegal gold mining.

According to the Phuoc Gia commune police, prior to the raid, they discovered several unfamiliar individuals frequently appearing in the area, exhibiting suspicious behavior suggesting illegal gold mining activities.

Reportedly, at the end of 2023, in order to hand over the area to the construction unit for the Bong Mieu gold mine closure project (Tam Lanh commune, Phu Ninh district, Quang Nam province), functional units of the Quang Nam Provincial Police and the Phu Ninh District Police organized raids and dealt with illegal gold mining activities in Tam Lanh commune, especially in the Nui Kem area.

Specifically, the Provincial Police and the Phu Ninh District Police organized two task forces to conduct inspections and crack down on illegal gold mining activities in two directions, from Ho Gan and Thac Trang to the Nui Kem area.

At the aforementioned locations, authorities did not find any individuals engaged in illegal gold mining. However, in the Bong Mieu gold mining hub, there are still many makeshift camps and machinery used for illegal gold mining.

*The equipment used for illegal gold mining was destroyed and dismantled.*

According to Lieutenant Colonel Huynh Van Cong, Deputy Head of the Economic Police Department of the Provincial Police, the task force conducted a comprehensive inspection and raid of all mine entrances in the Nui Kem area, disabling 4 generators, 1 power generator, 20 makeshift shelters, 7 ore soaking pits, approximately 1,500 meters of water pipes, approximately 900 meters of electrical wires, and many other rudimentary tools.

After inspecting and cracking down on illegal gold mining activities in the Nui Kem mine area, the task force cleared the area and handed it over to the Phu Ninh District Police, Tam Lanh Commune Police, and the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board to continue implementing the Bong Mieu gold mine closure project.

After the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment approved the project to close the gold ore mine at Bong Mieu mine, Quang Nam province assigned the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board as the investor.

The People's Committee of Quang Nam province requested that the main mine entrance be sealed and a retaining wall be built, all illegally operated mine entrances be demolished; surface structures be dismantled, the ground leveled, waste collected and treated, environmental remediation be carried out, and trees and grass be planted to improve the environment and monitor the environment after the mine closure is completed.

The cost to close the mine is nearly 19.5 billion VND, from the provincial budget (including the environmental remediation and restoration deposit of the enterprise that has been recovered and transferred to the provincial budget). The project implementation period is from 2022 to 2024.

Source