Two businesses in Nghe An show signs of violations
(Baonghean.vn) - The General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) has just issued a series of conclusions on the inspection of compliance with legal regulations on minerals, determining the actual mineral output exploited at limestone and clay mines used as cement raw materials by enterprises across the country.
Rampant violations
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| Production plant of Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company in Do Luong district. Photo: Document |
Two of the enterprises listed by the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam in the inspection conclusion with a series of violations related to mining activities that have just been announced are Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company and Song Lam 2 Cement Joint Stock Company (both under The Vissai Group).
According to the inspection conclusion, Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company has a series of violations. Specifically, in the field of minerals, this company was granted 2 mineral exploitation licenses by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment allowing the exploitation of limestone and clay as raw materials for cement production in 3 communes of Bai Son, Hong Son, Van Son in Do Luong district, Nghe An province.
However, through inspection, a series of violations were discovered such as: Not completing the land lease for mineral exploitation according to regulations; after 12 months from the effective date of the license, the company has not carried out basic construction of the mine; not completing the application for a mineral exploitation license in the area with a construction investment project; not paying the mineral exploitation right fee for the exploited output and actual annual use...
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| Cement factory of Song Lam 2 Cement Joint Stock Company in Anh Son district. Photo: Document |
Some mining locations have mining floor heights and slope angles that exceed the calculated mine design. At the mine site, there are some locations with hanging rocks after blasting, locations prone to landslides that pose a safety risk.
During the verification process of the actual mineral output compared to the capacity specified in the mineral exploitation license for limestone raw material exploitation in 2016, 2017, 2018, Song Lam 2 Cement Joint Stock Company all exploited in excess of the permitted capacity by 528.4%; 467.89% and 477.80% respectively... The mineral exploitation right fee has not been paid for the use of minerals as common construction materials within the land area of the construction investment project.
Strictly handle
Based on the inspection results, the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam has drawn up administrative violation records for mining enterprises that do not comply with regulations; requested the People's Committees of the provinces to direct relevant departments and branches to consider and impose penalties according to their authority; urged limestone mining organizations and enterprises that are subject to inspection to fully implement the contents according to the inspection conclusions...
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| Limestone quarry of Song Lam Cement Factory in Do Luong district. Photo: Archive |
In the case of Song Lam 2 Company, in addition to the responsibility of completing procedures, the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam requires the enterprise to compile books and documents related to the exploitation and use of minerals as common construction materials... from the time of exploitation to present, and submit them to the People's Committee of Nghe An province to calculate the fee for granting mineral exploitation rights; pay the fee for granting mineral exploitation rights for the volume of limestone used as construction materials that has been recovered.
Similarly, for Song Lam Cement Joint Stock Company (a company that was proposed by the Nghe An Department of Natural Resources and Environment to be fined for violating environmental protection regulations in 2017 and 2019), the inspection team requested not to collect limestone in areas outside the approved construction projects; to prepare a summary report on the actual annual output exploited and used...
The General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam also noted that within 90 days from the date of issuance of the inspection conclusion, the above enterprises must be responsible for correcting existing problems and violations, and reporting the implementation results in writing to the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam and the People's Committees of the provinces.
In case this company does not comply or does not fully comply, the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam will handle or recommend competent state agencies to handle according to regulations.
