Vietnam aluminum mining to increase exponentially

By Anh Minh August 9, 2023 | 08:25 pm PT

Tan Rai aluminum project in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. Photo by VnExpress/Khanh Huong

The government plans to mine for bauxite, the ore used to produce aluminum, at three new locations in the north.

It plans to develop by 2030 one site in Lang Son Province and two in Cao Bang, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said Wednesday.

Their combined capacity will be within 1.55-2.25 million tons of ore annually.

Besides, at least two existing mines in Lam Dong Province in the Central Highlands will be upgraded to increase production.

The government will also explore the possibility of mining 68-112.2 million tons of bauxite annually in four central highlands provinces.

At 5.8 billion tons, Vietnam has the world’s second largest bauxite reserves behind only Guinea (7.4 billion), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The majority of bauxite in Vietnam is found in the Central Highlands, especially Dak Nong Province.