Lao Cai seeks ways to overcome difficulties for mineral exploitation and processing enterprises

This morning (October 18), Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong - Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee chaired a meeting with mineral enterprises to discuss and resolve difficulties and obstacles in the field of mineral exploitation and processing, especially enterprises affected after storm No. 3.

According to the Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee, Storm No. 3 and its circulation have caused very serious damage to people, infrastructure, production of the State, People, and enterprises of Lao Cai Province. Enterprises operating in the mineral sector have strictly followed the instructions and guidance of authorities at all levels and sectors on natural disaster prevention and response and have not caused any damage to people, machinery, or equipment. However, the circulation of Storm No. 3 has affected a number of mineral exploitation and processing enterprises, causing damage such as mine landslides, water flooding deep into the mine pits, etc.

Lao Cai province organized a conference to meet, discuss and resolve difficulties for mineral enterprises. Photo: CTTĐTLC

In addition, in recent times, mineral mining enterprises have not reached their designed capacity, causing disruptions and breaks in the raw material supply chain, affecting deep processing enterprises in the fields of metallurgy, chemicals, fertilizers, etc., reducing factory capacity and even forcing them to stop operations. If we do not focus on overcoming and bringing mineral mining and processing enterprises back to normal , it will impact all socio-economic development targets of Lao Cai province in 2024 and the following years.

According to the Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee, at the conference, in addition to removing and resolving difficulties and obstacles, we also need to discuss the contribution of mineral enterprises to social security work and the socio -economic development of the locality. From now until the end of 2024, there are more than 2 months left and only 1 year left for the 2020-2025 term, all levels and sectors of Lao Cai province will continue to accompany mineral exploitation and processing enterprises and hope that enterprises will also accompany the locality in the coming period to develop together and achieve the set socio-economic goals.

Leaders of Lao Cai Department of Industry and Trade report on the operations of mineral enterprises in the area. Photo: CTTĐTLC

Reporting on the operations of mineral enterprises; the leader of the Department of Industry and Trade of Lao Cai province said that currently in the province, there are 15 units licensed by competent authorities to exploit minerals at 22 mineral mines (except for construction material minerals). During the operation, most of the units encountered difficulties in compensation and site clearance, and legal procedures for project land. Some units have not ensured the progress of project implementation; financial imbalance, difficulties in adjusting technology, dumping... Due to the impact of storm No. 3, mineral exploitation projects suffered an estimated loss of about 171 billion VND. Although they have resumed operations, they have not yet ensured exploitation at 100% of the design capacity.

Regarding mineral processing, there are currently 10 chemical production units and 5 inorganic fertilizer production units in Lao Cai province. After the circulation of storm No. 3, ore mining projects were affected and could not ensure the source of ore to supply input materials for factories in Tang Loong Industrial Park. Most chemical production units only operate at 60 - 85% of their design capacity due to the lack of apatite raw material supply; DAP fertilizer prices are not competitive compared to DAP prices originating from China... leading to many difficulties in the production plan for the fourth quarter of 2024 of factories in Tang Loong Industrial Park, currently some factories are operating at a standstill. Gypsum waste disposal is also facing difficulties in implementation progress.

At the Conference, representatives of some mineral mining and processing enterprises reported on the current situation and production situation of their units. Due to the heavy rains this year and the circulation of storm No. 3, the implementation of some mining project items is still behind schedule; some mines have landslides and flooding, affecting the houses of local households... Mineral enterprises said that they are currently facing many difficulties in compensation and site clearance, the route to open the mine, not being granted land use rights, lack of waste disposal sites, lack of ore sources for production... and proposed that Lao Cai province, relevant departments and branches pay attention to have appropriate solutions and policies to remove and resolve problems for enterprises. In particular, focusing on completing site clearance early and adjusting land use plans.

Representatives of leaders of departments, branches and localities: Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Construction, Department of Planning and Investment, Provincial Tax Department, People's Committees of Van Ban district, Bat Xat district, Bao Thang district, Lao Cai city said that they have coordinated with mineral enterprises to assess the level of damage caused by the impact of storm No. 3. At the same time, they answered, guided and proposed solutions to remove and resolve difficulties and problems of enterprises regarding land work, land lease, land price approval, handling of overlapping issuance of land use right certificates, plans to manage land areas previously assigned to enterprises; completing cadastral map measurement; carrying out the work of reviewing, counting, reclaiming land, compensating households; ensuring population arrangement, implementing the construction of resettlement areas; waste dumping of factories, unifying ore storage locations; granting construction permits; adjusting investment policies of projects; policies on tax exemption, reduction, and extension of fees to support damaged mineral enterprises...

Lao Cai mineral enterprises suffered a lot of damage from storm No. 3. Photo: STNMTPT

At the same time, it is recommended that investors and mineral exploitation and processing enterprises closely coordinate with local authorities in implementation and promptly report any problems and difficulties to relevant departments and agencies to jointly resolve and resolve them, creating favorable conditions for the production and business activities of the units. In particular, enterprises need to comply with and comply with land laws, ensure records and procedures before exploitation and operation; closely follow the approved EIA report of the project, ensure environmental sanitation during the ore transportation process, ensure the safety of tailings reservoirs; promptly overcome the shortcomings and limitations pointed out in documents of the Central Government, the province, relevant departments and agencies.

Concluding the Conference, Mr. Trinh Xuan Truong, Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee requested to strengthen the propaganda, dissemination and education of laws on occupational safety and hygiene; promote inspection and examination of the mineral sector, from construction to exploitation and processing; ensure good environment and management; innovate exploitation and processing technology, re-evaluate the production value chain and production technology focusing on minerals such as apatite, iron, copper and graphite.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/lao-cai-tim-huong-go-kho-cho-doanh-nghiep-khai-thac-che-bien-khoang-san-353280.html