Nghe An province has decided to close the quarry in the Len Chua area.

Previously, there were three businesses operating at the Len Chua quarry for construction stone extraction: Thanh Xuan Company Limited (Thanh Xuan Company); Xuan Hung Company Limited (Xuan Hung Company); and Xuan Chung Company Limited (Xuan Chung Company).

The Len Chua quarry is being exploited haphazardly, outside the permitted mining area, creating deep water pits that pose a serious danger to local residents. Photo: PB

After the quarrying licenses of these companies expired, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai Town directed Quynh Xuan Ward to suspend the illegal mining activities of Thanh Xuan Co., Ltd. and Xuan Hung Co., Ltd., and at the same time required these companies to carry out leveling, environmental restoration, and erect danger signs for areas that had been mined below the 0 level.

However, these companies continued to mine and transport stone for sale; in fact, Thanh Xuan Company and Xuan Chung Company even proceeded to build concrete mixing plants and other structures right in the mining area.

In February 2017, Xuan Hung Co., Ltd. and Thanh Xuan Co., Ltd. were fined 120 million VND each by the Provincial People's Committee for the administrative violation of "Exploiting minerals beyond the permitted area by up to 10% of the total area or total height of the licensed mineral exploitation zone".

In addition to fines, the Provincial People's Committee required these two companies to carry out land reclamation and environmental restoration, implementing solutions to bring areas where mining exceeded the permitted depth back to a safe state. However, these companies failed to comply.

Thanh Xuan Co., Ltd. constructed a ready-mix concrete plant in the Len Chua quarry area without a permit. Photo: PB

Specifically, Xuan Hung Company exceeded the permitted depth by 17.8 meters from the zero elevation; Thanh Xuan Company exceeded the permitted depth by 11.8 meters. This unauthorized quarrying results in resource loss and tax revenue losses for the State, while also creating pits thousands of square meters deep, posing a potential danger to the public.

On April 12, 2017, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai Town continued to issue a document requiring the two companies to comply with the provincial People's Committee's penalty decision; it also demanded that they cease all mineral mining activities and remove machinery and equipment from the mining area that had been exploited beyond the permitted depth. However, these companies still did not comply.

Given the current situation, and based on the assessment meeting of the Nghe An Provincial Mineral Assessment Council on November 6, 2018, the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee approved the plan to close the construction stone mine in the Len Chua area, Quynh Xuan ward, Hoang Mai town. The area of ​​mine closed for Xuan Hung Company is 3.43 hectares; the area of ​​mine closed for Thanh Xuan Company is 4.14 hectares.

The concrete mixing plant was constructed illegally by Xuan Hung Co., Ltd. Photo: PB

According to the decision, Xuan Hung Company and Thanh Xuan Company are responsible for leveling and rehabilitating the mine to a safe state, constructing protective fences, restoring the environment around the mine and affected areas, protecting remaining mineral resources, and handing over the mine area to the State for management.

The construction period allowed by the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee for the two aforementioned units is two months from the date of signing the decision, with the costs to be borne by the enterprises themselves.

In September and October 2017, Nghe An Newspaper published several articles reflecting numerous violations in mineral exploitation at the Len Chua quarry in Quynh Xuan ward, Hoang Mai town.

In addition to violations in stone quarrying, Thanh Xuan Co., Ltd. and Xuan Chung Co., Ltd. brazenly constructed a commercial concrete mixing plant and other structures such as an administration building, power station, and conveyor belt within the Len Chua quarry.

Inspections by relevant authorities have revealed that Xuan Chung Co., Ltd. and Thanh Xuan Co., Ltd. constructed a ready-mix concrete plant without the necessary legal documents and procedures for project investment from competent authorities, without a construction permit, and without a land allocation decision.

Authorities have ordered these two companies to cease operations and dismantle the illegal structures, but this has not yet been done.