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Vietnam and Sustainable Mining Practices
A/Prof David Laurence was recently a keynote speaker at the first international “Advances in Mining and Tunneling Conference” held in Ha Noi Vietnam in August 2008. His topic, “Achieving Sustainable Mining Practices in South East Asia” attracted numerous questions from the audience and local media. The conference showcased the excellent research work being carried out by Vietnamese mining professionals and highlighted case studies from the field.
David Laurence presenting at the Seminar in Vietnam
Vietnam has at least 2 world class projects including the Quang Ninh coal region and the Thakche iron ore deposit both of which are complex operations with a multiplicity of issues requiring a sustainable mining solution. The Quang Ninh coal mines for example lie on the edge of world heritage-classified Halong Bay, visited by hundreds of thousands of international visitors every year. The photograph below illustrates the proximity of the Bay to the dust, noise, water and visual pollution issues associated with coal mining in this area.
Vietnam also hosts a variety of other mineral deposits and has considerable investment potential for Australian and international mining companies. The Ban Phuc nickel deposit west of Hanoi is one such example.
The conference was followed by a field trip to the Nui Beo open pit coal mine and the Van Danh underground mine.
A picture of the Nui Beo mine showing the proximity of the workings to the world heritage Halong Bay
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Rudrajit Mitra
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