Part 4: Improper exploitation
(Baonghean.vn) In recent years, in Tuong Duong district (Nghe An), there are 10 enterprises licensed to mine gold, of which 3 are currently mining (1 enterprise has not yet started operating) and 6 enterprises have stopped operating. Among them, some companies have not strictly followed the mining process.
(Baonghean.vn) In recent years, in Tuong Duong district (Nghe An), there are 10 enterprises licensed to mine gold, of which 3 are currently mining (1 enterprise has not yet started operating) and 6 enterprises have stopped operating. Among them, some companies have not strictly followed the mining process.
See Part 3 -> Fear of gold mine collapse
Present at Khe Ngan (Yen Thang Hydropower Reservoir area), we saw the gold dredgers of Hai Chau Company (HC) operating at full capacity, the engine noise was deafening. The company was licensed by the Provincial People's Committee to exploit for 18 months, from May 26, 2010 to the end of December 2011. Mining was carried out in a rolling manner from downstream to upstream, using excavators combined with an ore sorting system. The company used 6 dredgers and 1 wheel loader during the exploitation process and did not promptly return the site as initially committed. Therefore, on August 15, 2011, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district administratively fined HC Company 15 million VND.
Gold mining dredgers are operating in the hydroelectric reservoir.
Yen Thang
Before starting to mine gold, Yen Thang Joint Stock Company (the investor in Yen Thang Hydropower Plant) and HC Company agreed that: Yen Thang Joint Stock Company has the right to suspend mining if it is found to have an impact on the reservoir area and Yen Thang Hydropower Plant dam. However, after the decision to grant a mineral exploitation license, HC Company arbitrarily and unilaterally put the machine into operation without reporting to the investor, and did not comply with the working minutes dated March 20, 2009. Yen Thang Joint Stock Company issued a document on June 17, 2010 announcing the temporary suspension of gold mining in Yen Thang Hydropower Plant reservoir from June 18, 2010. If Hai Chau Company continues to mine improperly, affecting the reservoir, Yen Thang Joint Stock Company will submit a document requesting the Provincial People's Committee to revoke the license. However, up to this point, this company is still mining gold.
In Yen Hoa commune, there are 5 enterprises licensed to mine gold, of which 3 are currently operating. In particular, the Viet-Lao Company was granted a 5-year license to mine open-pit gold in Xop Kha village. During its operation, this company arbitrarily transferred the mine to another unit (although it is still nominally under the name of the Viet-Lao Company).
Mr. Lo Thai Sinh - Chairman of Yen Hoa Commune People's Committee said: The commune has established a team to inspect the mine, based on the mining records, it was discovered that the company violated the mining process, such as digging up rocks and soil without returning the ground. In particular, during the process of crushing rocks and soil to select gold, the company did not use a sedimentation tank but discharged them directly into the stream, causing pollution to the Lip stream and the local people in Xop Kha. Also at Phu Phen peak - Bao Lam Company was licensed to mine for 3 years, although it was on a small scale, at the mine there was no sedimentation tank, and the excavation of the mountain was not in accordance with the design documents.
Mr. Lo Hoai Thom - Chairman of Yen Na Commune People's Committee, said: In Yen Na Commune, the Provincial People's Committee has just granted SEV Construction Investment Company a license on June 25, 2011 to exploit gold ore for a period of 5 years in Na Khom village with an area of 65 hectares. Permission is given to use mixed system mining. Up to this point, the company has completed the land support for the people.
According to the State's regulations, the support money is 1,700 VND/m2 of land, but the company has implemented the request of the people to support 3,000 VND/m2 of land. Mr. Thom said: Currently, SEV Company is conducting exploration and construction of mining infrastructure, for the commune level, we will establish an inspection team, regularly monitor, if the company exploits the wrong process, causing environmental pollution, we will promptly report to the relevant departments for handling.
Mr. Luong Van Thom, a resident of Na Khom village, complained: His family lost 2 sao of land due to the company's gold mining coordinates. Although we were compensated 3,000 VND/m2, higher than the State's regulations, we still hope that the State will re-plan the swidden land so that people have land to grow rice and stabilize food.
Reporter team