Lao Cai tightens mineral resource management.

The chairperson of the commune or ward will be held legally responsible if they fail to promptly prevent and address the situation of illegal mineral exploration, exploitation, or land use.

The People's Committee of Lao Cai province has directed the strengthening of management and protection of unexploited mineral resources in the area. Photo: Thanh Tien.

The People's Committee of Lao Cai province recently issued document No. 4325/UBND-KT dated May 26, 2026, requesting strengthened management and protection of unexploited mineral resources in the area. According to the document, illegal mining, trading, and transportation of minerals have still occurred in some localities. Inspection, detection, and handling of violations have been lacking in some areas. The state management responsibilities of some levels of government have not been fully implemented, posing a potential risk of resource depletion, loss of security and order, environmental impact, and harm to people's lives.

To address the aforementioned shortcomings and limitations, and to further strengthen state management of the protection of unexploited mineral resources in the province, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Lao Cai province requests: The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lao Cai province should continue to proactively advise on the management and protection of unexploited mineral resources in the province. It should closely coordinate with the Provincial Police, relevant departments, agencies, and localities in protecting unexploited mineral resources and preventing illegal mining activities.

Chairing and organizing inter-provincial inspection campaigns in complex border areas regarding mineral resources. Proposing coordination mechanisms and information and reporting systems between localities to improve the effectiveness of managing and protecting unexploited mineral resources in the area.

There are written guidelines and instructions urging organizations and businesses operating in the mining sector in the area to strictly comply with legal regulations on the management and protection of unexploited mineral resources. Responsibility in managing mine boundaries, marking licensed areas, and protecting mineral resources in adjacent areas should be enhanced.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee directed all departments, agencies, and localities to coordinate closely in the management and protection of mineral resources. Photo: Thanh Tien.

The Department of Industry and Trade, in coordination with other departments, agencies, and localities, will strengthen inspection and management of the origin and provenance of mineral processing, trading, and consumption activities; promptly detect, handle, or advise on the strict handling of acts of purchasing, storing, and consuming minerals of unknown origin or illegally mined minerals.

Strengthen inspections of the management and use of industrial explosives in mineral mining activities. Coordinate the strict handling of cases involving the illegal use, misuse, loss, or unsafe use of industrial explosives.

The Department of Construction coordinates the management of the exploitation, transportation, and use of minerals as common construction materials for construction projects in the area. It reviews inland waterways, construction material storage yards, and construction material businesses; resolutely handles cases violating regulations on storage yards, and simultaneously shuts down all illegal and unauthorized inland waterways.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Lao Cai province requested the Lao Cai Provincial Police to continue focusing on combating and dismantling organized illegal mining rings, groups, and individuals; and to strictly handle acts of protection, complicity, and cover-up for illegal mining activities.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune or ward is responsible if violations of mineral resource management occur in their area. Photo: Thanh Tien.

Directing commune and ward police forces to strengthen patrols and inspections in key areas with complex mineral issues, especially border areas, remote areas, and areas at risk of recurring illegal mining.

Strengthen the management of mineral transportation activities; inspect and strictly handle vehicles transporting minerals of unknown origin, overloaded vehicles, vehicles violating legal regulations, and vehicles without registration, inspection certificates, and other legal documents issued by competent state agencies in accordance with the law circulating on rivers, streams, and lakes within the province.

Continue patrolling, monitoring, detecting, and strictly handling the illegal exploitation of sand and gravel from riverbeds, streams, and lakes using dredgers, completing this by the second quarter of 2026.

For local authorities, the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of communes and wards are fully responsible before the law and before the People's Committee of Lao Cai province if illegal exploration, exploitation of minerals, or illegal land use occurs in their areas without timely detection, prevention, and handling; they shall handle, review, or recommend handling and review of organizations and individuals who violate the regulations.

Strengthen the management of land, riverbeds, streams, alluvial plains, collection points, and forest areas in the locality; promptly detect and handle cases of exploiting land leveling, foundation lowering, pond construction, road construction, and land leveling for illegal mineral exploitation.

Issue a specific plan for protecting unexploited mineral resources in the area; clearly assign tasks and responsibilities to each official and civil servant in charge of the area, the commune police force, militia, and village heads and neighborhood group leaders.

The organization will sign commitments to protect unexploited mineral resources with agencies, organizations, communities, households, and individuals in areas near mineral deposits. A hotline will be established for people to promptly report violations in mineral activities.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/lao-cai-siet-chat-quan-ly-khoang-san-d813671.html