Prime Minister: Lai Chau needs to effectively exploit rare earths

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested Lai Chau province to soon establish a plan and effectively exploit mineral resources, including rare earth.

Working with the Standing Committee of Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee on November 19, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the locality has diverse mineral resources including construction materials, metals, industrial minerals, including rare earth and mineral water. The whole province has 169 mines, ore or mineral points.

Recently, Vietnam has been accelerating the search for technology and expanding rare earth mining with the goal of reaching more than two million tons of ore per year by 2030. Lai Chau and Lao Cai are two key localities promoting rare earth mining.

Lai Chau has the largest Dong Pao rare earth mine in Vietnam with 132 hectares, in addition to the Bac Nam Xe and Nam Nam Xe mines.

At the meeting, provincial leaders said they had approved the investment policy and investor of the Bac Nam Xe rare earth mining and processing project with a total capacity of 400,000-600,000 tons of raw ore per year.

Rare earths consist of 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, telephones and the defense industry. According to the 2022 announcement of the US Geological Survey, China has the largest rare earth reserves, 44 million tons; followed by Vietnam with 22 million and Brazil with 21 million tons.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at a meeting with the Standing Committee of Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee. Photo: Nhat Bac — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at a meeting with the Standing Committee of Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee on November 19. Photo: *Nhat Bac*

Speaking at today's meeting, the Prime Minister requested urgent research and completion of the route connecting Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway with Lai Chau to Ma Lu Thang border gate "in the shortest and soonest time". The goal is to complete the route's procedures in 2024.

Government leaders noted the allocation of investment capital for the 1.7 km Khau Co Pass tunnel between Lao Cai and Lai Chau. Lai Chau airport needs to carefully evaluate the possibility of public-private partnership if it is effective.

Lai Chau ginseng will be included in the Vietnamese ginseng development program with an area of 3,000 hectares.

The Prime Minister requested the Electricity Group to coordinate with Lai Chau to better exploit the local hydropower system with a total capacity of about 3,000 MW, ensuring national energy security and supporting local socio-economic development.

The head of the Government suggested that the locality should shift from agricultural production to ecological, high-tech agricultural economy, applying science and technology, especially with high-quality rice, rubber, macadamia, cinnamon, medicinal herbs... Sin Ho Plateau needs to promote tourism to create new momentum.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left cover) and Lai Chau Provincial Party Secretary Giang Pao My at a working session on November 19. Photo: Nhat Bac — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left cover) and Lai Chau Provincial Party Secretary Giang Pao My at a working session on November 19. Photo: *Nhat Bac*

Lai Chau is located in the midland and mountainous region of the North, with an area of 9,000 km2 and a population of nearly 500,000. The province has a 265 km long border with Yunnan province (China); there is Ma Lu Thang international border gate.

Lai Chau's average GRDP in the 2021-2023 period increased by 3.91% per year. GRDP per capita in 2023 reached 47.2 million VND, an increase of 3.4 million VND compared to 2020.

Viet Tuan

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