Nghe An continues to propose revoking the gold mining license on Pu Phen mountain (Tuong Duong)
Tuong Duong district organized a conference to collect opinions from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, People's Committee and communities of Yen Na and Yen Tinh communes on the project of exploiting underground gold ore in Yen Na - Yen Tinh area, Tuong Duong district. The result was 100% of opinions disagreed.
After consulting with the community, by Document No. 182/BC-UBND May 17, 2024,People's Committee of Tuong Duong districtreported this content to relevant departments and branches.
In which, the result of the opinion collection in Yen Na commune: 35/35 people whose opinions were collected voted against, in Yen Tinh commune: 36/36 people whose opinions were collected also disagreed with the implementation of the Project "Investment in the construction of underground mining works for original gold ore in Yen Na - Yen Tinh commune, Tuong Duong district, Nghe An province" by Thu Do General Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company as the investor".
Therefore, also here, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district requested the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Industry and Trade, Planning and Investment, Agriculture and Rural Development to advise the Provincial People's Committee to continue reporting to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke the Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 at the request of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district in Official Dispatch No. 1372/UBND-NL dated December 20, 2021.
Receiving Document No. 182/BC-UBND dated May 17, 2024 of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued Document No. 3489/STNMT-KS dated May 27, 2024 requesting relevant agencies to comment on the handling plan for the Investment Project to build a gold mine in Yen Na - Yen Tinh commune, Tuong Duong district. The two Departments of Industry and Trade and Justice responded in writing not to comment because this content is not within the scope of State management of the industry.
With the Department of Planning and Investment, there is an opinion in Official Dispatch No. 2101/SKHDT-DN dated June 3, 2024, agreeing with the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district to propose the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017. According to the Department of Planning and Investment: “The Law on Investment does not stipulate the termination of investment projects in case the project is not agreed by the community during the consultation process to prepare the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. On the other hand, at the time the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment granted the Mineral Exploitation License (in 2017), the project had expired according to the Investment Certificate No. 2721000048 dated July 24, 2014 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the investor had not been adjusted/extended by the competent authority. Therefore, the Department of Planning and Investment agrees with the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district to propose the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to revoke the Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017”.
On June 18, 2024, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued Document No. 3992/STNMT-KS reporting to the Provincial People's Committee on the implementation of the direction in Official Dispatch No. 16/UBND-NN dated January 2, 2024 on consulting on contents related to the Yen Na - Yen Tinh gold mining project, Tuong Duong district according to the opinion of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Official Dispatch No. 10340/BTNMT-KSVN dated December 6, 2023.
Here, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment reports to the Provincial People's Committee on the report of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district in Official Dispatch No. 182/BC-UBND dated May 17, 2024; as well as the opinions of relevant departments.
According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, on November 24, 2023, the Vietnam Minerals Department presided over and coordinated with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Nghe An province, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, the People's Committee of Yen Na commune, the People's Committee of Yen Tinh commune and Thu Do Construction and General Trading Joint Stock Company to organize a meeting on the exploitation of primary gold ore in the Yen Na - Yen Tinh area, Nghe An province according to the Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. At the meeting, Mr. Do Xuan Canh - Director of the company commented: "The company requests to work with the People's Committee of Nghe An province to be directed to continue to consult with the community. The company commits to take full responsibility in case the people do not agree to implement the project, the company agrees to revoke and terminate the license".
On December 6, 2023, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued Official Dispatch No. 10340/BTNMT-KSVN on completing procedures for exploiting Yen Na - Yen Tinh gold mine, Nghe An province, including the following content: "At the meeting between the working delegation of the Vietnam Minerals Department and representatives of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Nghe An province and related localities, the company representative requested to be introduced to organize community consultation and committed to take full responsibility in case the people do not agree to implement the project, the company agrees to revoke and terminate the license".
Accordingly, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment stated its opinion: "The Department of Natural Resources and Environment agrees with the opinions of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district and the Department of Planning and Investment in the above documents". Thereby, it proposed: "Respectfully request the Provincial People's Committee to consult with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to handle License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 as the opinion of the Provincial People's Committee in Official Dispatch No. 9556/UBND-CN dated December 7, 2021 and in accordance with the provisions of law".
On June 20, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 5429/UBND-NN to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, with the following content:
“Considering the request of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Official Dispatch No. 3992/STNMT-KS dated June 18, 2024 on handling related contents of Mineral Exploitation License No. 75/GP-BTNMT dated January 19, 2017 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
The Provincial People's Committee agrees with the proposal of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the sectors and local authorities that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has compiled and reported in the above document and respectfully requests the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to resolve within its authority so that the Provincial People's Committee can direct relevant agencies and units to organize the implementation of mineral resource management in the original gold mine area of Yen Na commune and Yen Tinh commune, Tuong Duong district in accordance with the provisions of law".
