Deadly traps from mining companies.

Lan Toong Mountain, located in the communes of Chau Hong and Chau Thanh (Quy Hop district), has recently been the site of a series of fatal accidents. The victims are local residents scavenging for ore in tunnels and waste dumps left behind by mining companies. After decades of exploitation, the mountain now resembles a beehive, with a complex network of tunnels stretching for tens of meters inside.

From a distance, one can easily see countless abandoned mine shafts left behind by businesses after their mining operations have ended or been suspended. To salvage the meager amount of ore remaining, locals often follow these shafts deep inside. The failure to strictly adhere to land reclamation regulations is turning these mining sites into deadly traps for the people.

According to regulations, land reclamation is a mandatory obligation for units and enterprises after the completion of mineral resource exploitation activities. The Mineral Law, the Environmental Protection Law, Government Decree 68, and Circular 126 of the Ministries of Finance, Industry, and Natural Resources and Environment clearly stipulate that units and enterprises operating in the mining sector must contribute to an Environmental Restoration Fund, depending on the extent, area, and reserves of the mine, in order to address the environmental consequences after exploitation.

The environmental restoration fund will be commensurate with the costs of compensation and remediation to the original state before mining begins. The State will hold the money deposited by mining companies. After mining is completed and the company restores the land to its original state as committed, they can withdraw that money. If the company fails to do so, the State will use the fund to pay for the costs of hiring someone to perform the restoration. After land restoration, relevant authorities such as the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and local governments will be responsible for inspection and acceptance.

However, the reality is quite different. “Many tunnels weren’t demolished. But where we were working, they just used a few sacks of soil to block the entrance; the inside remained completely intact. If we wanted to go in and scavenge for ore, we just had to gently lift the sacks,” said Truong Van Hien (30 years old) from Chau Hong commune. Hien is the husband of one of the three victims who died in the tunnel collapse in mid-March.Upon arriving at Lan Toong Mountain, reporters easily discovered numerous tunnel entrances left behind by businesses that had ceased operations. Beneath these tunnels, hundreds of local people still brave the dangers each day to scavenge for ore, earning a living.Meanwhile, in an interview with a reporter from Nghe An Newspaper, a representative from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment confirmed that the ore mining tunnels in this mountain have been restored by sealing the entrances.

With the deadly traps set by illegal mining businesses, such as the gold mines in Tuong Duong district, land reclamation is naturally not an option.

According to a source, in Quy Hop district, out of 20 mines whose operating permits have expired, only 2 have restored the land surface. Through inspections, the local authorities have repeatedly suggested to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment that stronger measures be taken, requiring businesses to restore the land to ensure safety, but many businesses have ignored these suggestions or only done so superficially.Meanwhile, according to the Nghe An Department of Natural Resources and Environment, there are currently over 140 mineral mines in the province whose mining licenses have expired or have ceased operations, requiring procedures for mine closure and environmental restoration in accordance with regulations.