Removing difficulties for mineral exploitation sites

Sand and gravel mining site of Thanh Thi Construction and Trading Company Limited, Moc Chau town.

Problems that need to be solved

The Provincial People's Committee has developed a plan for exploration, exploitation, processing and use of minerals in Son La province until 2030, with a vision to 2050, integrated into the provincial planning, with 162 mineral mines for common construction materials. Of which: 53 stone mines for common construction materials, with reserves of about 27.9 million m³; 13 stone mines for crushed sand, with reserves of 4.1 million m³; 53 natural sand mines, with reserves of 9.04 million m³; 12 clay mines for bricks and tiles, with reserves of 3.7 million m³; 31 landfill mines, with reserves of 37.7 million m³.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: The Department has reviewed the process of granting mineral exploitation licenses of state management agencies, including 7 steps: Establishing a mineral exploration project; conducting exploration; establishing an investment policy dossier; establishing an EIA dossier, establishing a basic design dossier; establishing a licensing dossier; establishing a land lease dossier for exploitation. The steps are chaired by the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Department of Construction and the Department of Finance.

Up to now, the whole province has 27/59 mines at the investment policy stage, of which 13 mines have submitted and are implementing investment policy issuance, including: 4 limestone mines; 4 natural sand and gravel mines; 1 stone mine for sand production; 3 land fill mines; 1 brick and tile clay mine.

Of the 13 mines currently in the process of granting investment policies, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has coordinated with the Department of Finance to resolve 4 mines; the Department of Finance has just sent a document asking for opinions on 3 mines.

There are 6 mines with problems in land use planning, land use indicators; forestry planning and construction planning, including: Tay Hung and Pa Phang stone mines, Chieng Hac commune, Moc Chau town; area 3 stone mine, Me Lech village, Co Noi commune; area 2 sand mine, Ta Hoc village, Ta Hoc commune; Ta Chan sand mine, Chieng Chan commune, Mai Son district; Xum Con clay mine, Na Nghiu commune, Song Ma district; Bat Dong land fill mine, Sap Vat commune, Yen Chau district.

Sand mining site in Chieng Khuong commune, Song Ma district.

Quarry Zone 3, Me Lech village, Coi Noi commune, Mai Son district submitted its investment policy on September 30, 2023 and was recognized as the winner of the auction for mineral exploitation rights in the area with mineral exploration results in Decision No. 1179/QQD-UBND dated June 20, 2024. The quarry has a scale of 4 hectares, reserves of about 2.1 million m³, and is facing problems with forestry planning and construction planning.

Mr. Vu Thanh Dat, Deputy Director of Duc Hien Stone Production and Mining Cooperative, said: We hope that the Provincial People's Committee will direct relevant departments to speed up the process of removing difficulties so that the stone quarry in Zone 3, Me Lech village, can soon be granted an exploitation license. We are committed to complying with and implementing the regulations.

Quarry area 3, Me Lech village, Co Noi commune uses 4 hectares, of which 2.54 hectares are natural forests (planned production forests). The Department of Agriculture and Environment issued Official Dispatch No. 27/SNNMT-ĐCKS dated March 5, 2025, stating that it agrees with the explanation of the enterprise, for the 2.54 hectares of planned production forests, after the policy is approved, the procedure for converting the forest use purpose to another purpose will be carried out according to regulations.

Tay Bac Construction Materials Production and Investment Joint Stock Company won the auction for mineral exploitation rights and is completing procedures for granting a mineral exploitation license. Mr. Nguyen The Anh, Director of the Company, informed: The Company is implementing an investment project to exploit limestone for common construction materials, ready-mixed concrete, and hot asphalt concrete in Tay Hung and Pa Phang villages, Chieng Hac commune, Moc Chau town. During the project implementation, the Company coordinated with the consulting unit, Truong Xuan Mining and Construction Consulting Joint Stock Company, to explain, edit, and supplement the documents according to the documents. However, currently, the project is stuck with an area of ​​3.3 hectares of auxiliary works that are not included in the planning and land use plan.

Provincial working delegation inspects mineral exploitation in Song Ma district.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: The Department of Agriculture and Environment requested the Department of Finance to speed up the appraisal of investment proposal documents for projects in which the Department of Agriculture and Environment has participated in writing. In the process of appraising construction planning, the general urban planning must be consistent with the provincial planning (related to mineral mines). The People's Committees of Mai Son, Yen Chau, Song Ma districts and Moc Chau town propose land use planning to ensure consistency with the provincial planning, including: Land use planning for mineral mines and mineral exploitation projects; propose solutions for projects in the area related to district-level land use planning and plans.

Speed ​​up licensing process

To overcome difficulties, on April 11, 2025, Mr. Dang Ngoc Hau, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired a meeting with departments, branches and People's Committees of districts, towns and cities related to the progress of granting mineral exploitation licenses for mineral mines that won the auction for mineral exploitation rights in Son La province.

Comrade Dang Ngoc Hau chaired the meeting to remove difficulties.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the departments to review the planning to ensure adherence to the planning approved by the Prime Minister; focus on issuing detailed plans for each group of mineral mines to ensure completion of related procedures and early putting projects into exploitation. Speed ​​up the appraisal and approval process for projects that have submitted documents, ensuring to minimize the time for handling administrative procedures at the consultation stages.

Department of Construction, support districts, towns, cities to review and adjust related planning to ensure that lower level planning must be consistent with the Provincial Planning. Review issued documents related to directing planning work to adjust and supplement to ensure that the implementation process minimizes obstacles and difficulties.

The Department of Finance continues to support investors to complete and submit documents for appraisal according to regulations. For cases where investors have not completed and submitted documents, urgently issue written instructions to ensure progress according to plan. Speed ​​up the appraisal of documents to approve investment policies, simultaneously approve investors and submit for approval according to regulations; urge to speed up the appraisal and submission for approval.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment shall preside over and coordinate with the Department of Finance to review investors who have not completed their dossiers to urge them to ensure progress according to plan. Develop detailed plans for each group of mineral mines. Complete the issuance of the plan before April 15, 2025. Work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to receive guidance on content related to the land and mineral sectors.

The People's Committees of districts, towns and cities continue to implement the contents as directed, including: Urging investors to complete documents related to investment policy approval, investor approval, issuance of mining licenses... to submit documents according to plan. Well managing the current status at mineral mines in the planning. Reviewing and coordinating with departments and branches to adjust the planning to ensure compliance with the Son La Provincial Planning.

To meet the demand for construction materials for projects in the area, the province needs to speed up the process of removing difficulties and granting licenses to mining sites.

With the drastic direction of the Provincial People's Committee, difficulties and obstacles will be resolved, contributing to improving the effectiveness of State management of minerals, while meeting the demand for materials for works, projects and the needs of people in the area.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/thao-go-kho-khan-cho-cac-diem-khai-thac-khoang-san-x8IZQ9AHR.html