Illegal mineral exploitation rampant in Phu Tho Province

VietNamNet Bridge – Illegal exploitation of minerals continues in some districts in the northern mountainous province of Phu Tho, including Doan Hung, Thanh Thuy, Thanh Son and Phu Tho Town.

Miners illegally exploit kaolin after buying land from Nguyen Thi Hoa, a resident of Bang Doan Commune in Phu Tho Province’s Doan Hung district. — Photo baophutho.vn

This has caused concern among the residents, reported the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Residents in Thanh Son District’s Dong Cuu Commune have complained that their lives are being affected by illegal mining activities.

Phan Huy Bien, vice chairman of Dong Cuu Commune People’s Committee, said some 20 trucks used the road every day, causing air and noise pollution.

As a result, the main road running through the commune is severely damaged, threatening traffic safety.

VNA attributed the prevalence of illegal mining to low awareness of residents on mineral exploitation activities and loose management of the local authorities.

Some residents are willing to sell their land for a sum of money, and illegal miners take advantage of their naivety to earn huge profits.

Using this trick, thousands of cubic metres of kaolin and talc ore have been extracted and transported out of the province by miners.

Nguyen Xuan Toan, head of the Mineral Management Office under the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, has acknowledged the problem.

He said the department had proposed the provincial People’s Committee to improve the management of mining activities, including increasing supervision and inspection to prevent illegal mineral exploitation and requesting mining enterprises to recover environmental and other damages caused by mining activities.

Bien said the local authority would continue a dissemination campaign to raise awareness of the local people on environmental protection and encourage them to report violations to authorised agencies.

Source: VNS