Dead fish, sludge and problems from Thiec Ha An Company Limited

“Black spot” 6 years ago

We know the mining area ofHa An Tin Company Limitedon Lan Toong Mountain in October 2018. Because, after the incident of the dam containing tin sludge of Nghe Tinh Non-ferrous Metals Joint Stock Company breaking in March 2017, the consequences of environmental pollution from tin mining were more concerned than ever. And because, on that occasion, there was a reflection that Ha An Tin Company Limited did not comply with environmental protection regulations!

Lan Toong Mountain is located at the intersection of Chau Hong and Chau Thanh communes. From Quy Hop town, follow National Highway 48C through Chau Quang and Chau Cuong communes to the foot of the mountain, from here, go uphill for about 50 minutes to reach the main mining site of Ha An Tin Company Limited.

At that time, in addition to the tents for workers to rest, this mine also had a few level 4 houses and an operating crushing and screening station.

Looking at the whole picture, it is easy to see that this company does not comply with environmental protection laws. This is evident in the fact that there is no system of sludge and wastewater tanks. Right below the crushing station, there is a large mountain of sludge with long sludge streams flowing down the mountainside. With this reality, as soon as it rains, the sludge will be dumped into Mai stream.

When asking local officials of Chau Hong commune, they showed their indignation. Because, the Non-ferrous Metal Joint Stock Company had a dam to contain the mud that could burst, but Ha An Tin Company only had a few small pits, most of the waste mud was piled up in mounds, freely flowing all over the mountain.

And because of frustration, they took us back to the top of Lan Toong mountain, to Chau Thanh commune to witness another tin ore crushing and screening site. Here, there is a dam to contain the sludge, but it is a small, makeshift lake, with gray-black sludge piled up next to the lake...

Leaving Lan Toong mountain, we were informed by the district People's Committee that in 2017, Ha An Tin Company Limited had many violations, so the competent authority suspended mining activities.

However, at the end of November 2017, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district had to set up a surprise inspection team after receiving information that Thiec Ha An Company had resumed mining operations.

After inspection, violations still exist, worries still remain. Of particular concern is that although the settling tank has been built, the sludge is full, and there is a high risk of landslides causing environmental pollution. Therefore, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district has requested to transfer the sludge to the collection point according to the approved plan; and take measures to build additional safe settling tanks to avoid landslides...

With this situation, Nghe An Electronic Newspaper on October 17, 2018 published an article "Nghe An: "Mud bombs" still hanging on the mountain two years after the disaster of the dam burst containing sludge".

Immediately after that, the Provincial People's Committee directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to coordinate with the inspection team of the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam to inspect the mineral exploitation and environmental protection activities of Thiec Ha An Company Limited. On November 1, 2018, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued Official Dispatch No. 6538/STNMT-BVMT reporting the inspection results to the Provincial People's Committee.

In conclusion, Nghe An Newspaper's reflection that Thiec Ha An Company Limited violated environmental laws in mineral exploitation activities is well-founded.

At the same time, the inspection team of the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam has drawn up an inspection report and is waiting for sample analysis results to serve as a basis for handling according to regulations...

The information from Nghe An Newspaper was also received by the People's Committee of Quy Hop District and the Environmental Police Department of the Provincial Police, to organize a surprise inspection. Through the inspection, a number of limitations in the construction of environmental protection works at the mine of Thiec Ha An Company Limited were identified; the enterprise was required to implement measures to prevent landslides during the rainy season...

Current "black spot"

Following the incident of Nam Huong stream in Chau Thanh commune turning yellow and having unusual fish deaths on July 1, 2024, Nghe An Newspaper reported the incident as well as the involvement of all levels and sectors through a number of articles.

To date, Thiec Ha An Company Limited has accepted responsibility for the discharge that caused the Nam Huong stream water in Chau Thanh commune (Quy Hop) to become polluted and turn dark yellow; at the same time, it has committed to implementing the contents of the working group of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in coordination with the People's Committee of Quy Hop district pointed out on July 8, 2024.

However, it is difficult to believe that the exploitation of Ha An Tin Company Limited will not continue to have similar incidents. The reason is that Ha An Tin Company Limited often repeats violations. The evidence is not only in 2018, the time we learned about Ha An Tin Company Limited. But only from 2021 to now, with the documents accessed, it shows that Ha An Tin Company Limited has been administratively sanctioned 3 times with a total fine of 595.6 million VND!

For details, on October 12, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 3732/QD-UBND on administrative sanctions against Thiec Ha An Company Limited.

Loi was fined for occupying production forest land in the Bac stream area, Chau Hong commune, Quy Hop district to build a crushing and ore selection system, water tank, wastewater treatment system, and workers' housing, with an area of ​​1.23 hectares on production forest land.

The main penalty is a fine of 210 million VND; forced to continue carrying out land allocation and lease procedures according to regulations within 180 days.

At the same time, forced to return illegal profits gained from administrative violations, with the amount of 24.6 million VND.

Next, on April 28, 2023, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district issued Decision No. 639/QD-UBND to sanction Ha An Tin Company Limited for administrative violations. The reason was that it dumped soil and sludge after the ore selection process, beyond the boundary of the land leased for dumping, with an area of ​​1.1 hectares at Bac stream, Chau Hong commune.

The main form of punishment is a fine of 100 million VND; forced to restore the original state of the land before the violation for an area of ​​11,000m2.²At the same time, forced to return the illegal profits gained from committing administrative violations in the amount of 11 million VND.

Recently, on June 4, 2024, based on the Minutes of administrative violations made by the inspection team according to Decision No. 901/QD-BTNMT dated April 5, 2024 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on May 28, 2024, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district issued Decision No. 2981/QD-UBND to sanction administrative violations against Thiec Ha An Company Limited.

Violations include: “Using minerals for purposes other than those specified in the Mineral Exploitation License without permission from a competent State management agency as prescribed; creating false books, vouchers, documents, and related materials to determine actual annual mining output; not submitting approved mine designs to the competent State management agency on minerals”.

For these violations, Thiec Ha An Company Limited must receive a fine of 250 million VND; have its mineral exploitation activities suspended for 4.5 months; and be forced to pay all costs for appraisal, inspection and measurement.

More worrying information

Regarding Thiec Ha An Company Limited, in 2013, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment granted Mineral Exploitation License No. 377/GP-BTNMT to exploit tin ore at Suoi Bac tin mine, on an area of ​​17.12 hectares, spread over 2 communes of Chau Thanh and Chau Hong, Quy Hop district.

Regarding the mining method, Thiec Ha An Company Limited is organized to mine underground, with an exploitation height of up to +520m. According to the Mineral Exploitation License No. 377/GP-BTNMT, the reserve allowed to be exploited is 423,246 tons, the permitted exploitation capacity is 20,000 tons/year for a period of 24 years.

However, in a document sent by the General Department of Environment in November 2022 to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Thiec Ha An Company Limited has "come into operation, adjusted and added an additional grinding and ore selection system to increase the capacity of the project (increasing processing capacity from 25,000 tons/year to 60,000 tons/year),...".

From what we know about the mining activities of Ha An Tin Company Limited, in our opinion, this is a matter of concern! Because with the mining capacity according to Mineral Exploitation License No. 377/GP-BTNMT of 20,000 tons/year, Ha An Tin Company Limited has continuously committed violations.

So when the mining capacity is increased 3 times, mining activities as well as waste treatment are all on the top of Lan Toong mountain, which is more than 700m above sea level, what is the basis for believing that safety will be guaranteed and that no environmental incidents will occur?