The Chau Hong tin mining region remains a source of concern for pollution…
Following an inspection, it was discovered that Ha An Tin Company Limited was discharging wastewater that caused the Bac Stream to turn a cloudy yellow color. The Chau Hong Commune People's Committee proactively collected several water samples and sent them to the Nghe An Center for Resource and Environmental Monitoring for analysis. The results showed that several parameters in the water samples exceeded the permissible limits.
Water contaminated with heavy metals is acidic.
The incident occurred during an inspection by the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee.Ha An Tin Company LimitedThe discharge of wastewater, which caused the Bac Stream to turn a murky yellow color, was reported by Baonghean.vn on September 7, 2025.
Accordingly, on September 6, 2025, the People's Committee of Chau Hong commune submitted Report No. 67/BC-UBND on "Results of the investigation into the causes of turbid water in Chau Hong commune" to the Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Center for Resource and Environmental Monitoring of Nghe An province. The content of the report is as follows:
“At approximately 7:30 AM on September 6, 2025, the People's Committee of Chau Hong commune received a report from residents of Trung Thanh hamlet (Chau Hong commune) regarding the unusually yellow and turbid water flowing from the upstream of Bac Stream through Trung Thanh hamlet. The People's Committee of Chau Hong commune coordinated with the commune police to conduct an inspection and verification at the Bac Stream area. The results are as follows: The yellow and turbid water originates from the mining area of Ha An Tin Co., Ltd. At the time of inspection, Ha An Tin Co., Ltd. was not discharging wastewater into the environment. However, at the final settling tank of the wastewater settling tank system (with an earthen embankment), located west of the Ha An Tin Co., Ltd. mining area, with an area of approximately 800m2, there were signs of recent water receding, with little water remaining in the tank, and the tank's embankment showed signs of recent excavation and backfilling.”
Upon inspection and investigation, Mr. Doan Van Thinh, Director of Ha An Tin Company Limited, acknowledged: "On September 5, 2025, Ha An Tin Company Limited carried out cleaning of the water channel and water tank, discharging a quantity of accumulated mud and soil into the water source, causing the water in Suoi Bac stream to turn yellowish and cloudy."
The People's Committee of Chau Hong commune took photos and videos of the scene, compiled a report, and collected three water samples at three locations: sample 1 at the sedimentation tank; sample 2 in the ditch next to the sedimentation tank; and sample 3 in the Suoi Bac area, specifically the section flowing through Tien Thanh bridge, Chau Hong commune, to send to the Nghe An Provincial Environmental Monitoring Center for analysis and assessment of pollution levels. As of 4:30 PM on September 6, 2025, the People's Committee of Chau Hong commune had not detected any dead fish or aquatic organisms in the river or stream where the turbid water flowed.
Because the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee lacks the expertise and technical means to determine wastewater flow and analyze samples to assess pollution levels as a basis for handling violations, the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee reports and requests the Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Environmental Protection Sub-Department of Nghe An Province to conduct on-site inspections and assist the Commune People's Committee in handling violations according to regulations.
Contacting the Chairman of Chau Hong Commune People's Committee, Mr. Cao The Bao, on the morning of September 7, 2025, we learned that the working group of the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee continued to go to the scene to conduct investigation and verification. At the same time, the Chairman of the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee informed that "3 water samples taken on September 6 have been sent by the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee to the Provincial Environmental Monitoring Center for analysis to determine the level of pollution…".
By September 16, 2025, reporters from Nghe An Newspaper and Radio and Television had obtained the results of sample analysis, which showed several alarming parameters in the water, such as: TSS 420mg/L; Iron 201.5mg/L; Nickel 1.93mg/L; Zinc 8.79mg/L; pH 3.10mg/L…
In a conversation with the Chairman of the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee, Cao The Bao, it was learned that this was the result of analyzing water sample number 02, which the Commune People's Committee had taken from the drainage ditch near the settling tank of Ha An Tin Company Limited. The test results showed that the wastewater was contaminated with heavy metals and had acidic properties.
Mr. Cao The Bao said: “In the Suoi Bac area, Chau Hong commune, businesses were licensed by the former Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to mine using the underground method within the mountain; the treatment of sludge and wastewater was organized high up in the mountain, which has many limitations and shortcomings. Therefore, the risk of environmental pollution is always present. Currently, the commune government, despite having 24 mineral mines in the area, lacks environmental officers, has limited operating funds, and lacks the technical means to accurately and promptly check the level of pollution and wastewater flow…”
Therefore, inspecting and handling violations and rectifying the business is very difficult. Thus, based on the water sample test results, the Chau Hong Commune People's Committee will submit a report to the competent authorities and the Department of Agriculture and Environment for guidance on handling the matter in accordance with the law, as well as rectifying the business's production activities…”.
When will Chau Hong be free from pollution worries?
In the Suoi Bac tin mining area, Chau Hong commune, the environmental incident first came to light with the collapse of a tin ore tailings dam belonging to Nghe Tinh Non-Ferrous Metals Joint Stock Company in March 2017. From this, authorities investigated and verified the environmental pollution consequences of tin ore mining; simultaneously, they determined that tin ore mining companies in the area lacked environmental awareness.
Regarding Ha An Tin Company Limited, on October 17, 2018, Baonghean.vn reported on the issue in an article titled "Nghe An: 'Mud bomb' still hanging on the mountain two years after the dam collapse disaster." Following this, the former Department of Natural Resources and Environment conducted an inspection.nOn November 1, 2018, Official Letter No. 6538/STNMT-BVMT reported to the Provincial People's Committee that the media's report on Ha An Tin Company Limited's violations of environmental laws in mineral mining activities was well-founded; and that the inspection team of the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam had drawn up a report and taken samples for analysis as a basis for handling the case according to regulations.
Furthermore, on October 12, 2021, Ha An Tin Company Limited was fined a total of 234.6 million VND by the Provincial People's Committee for illegally occupying 1.23 hectares of production forest land in the Bac stream area, Chau Hong commune, to build a crushing and sorting system, water reservoir, wastewater treatment system, and worker housing.
On April 28, 2023, after inspection, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district issued a decision to fine Ha An Tin Company Limited a total of 111 million VND for dumping soil and sludge waste from the ore processing process, exceeding the boundaries of the leased land area for waste disposal, covering an area of 1.1 hectares at Bac stream, Chau Hong commune.
On May 28, 2024, the inspection team, acting under a decision of the former Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, issued an administrative violation report. The People's Committee of Quy Hop district then issued a decision to fine Ha An Tin Company Limited 250 million VND and simultaneously suspended its mineral mining operations for 4.5 months.
However, on June 30, 2024, an incident occurred where the water in the Nam Huong stream in Chau Thanh commune (formerly) turned a cloudy yellow color, with unusual fish deaths. The cause has been verified by relevant authorities as the wastewater discharge from Ha An Tin Company Limited.
As mentioned above, one year later, the water in Suoi Bac stream turned a murky yellow again. This time, the cause was also due to the discharge of waste into the natural environment by Ha An Tin Company Limited.
With this information, it is confirmed that the Chau Hong tin ore mining area, with its underground mining method and the treatment of sludge and wastewater at high altitudes (mining altitude up to +520m), always poses a potential risk of environmental pollution incidents. The concerns and worries of the Party Committee and the local government of Chau Hong commune, which has only been in operation for two months, are entirely justified. This is also an issue related to the lives and health of the people and is of great public concern, therefore, we request that the competent authorities pay attention to inspecting and resolving this issue completely.
“The pollution of Suoi Bac stream on September 6, 2025, has continued to raise concerns among the people in Quy Hop commune. This is because it is the headwaters supplying drinking water to the former Quy Hop town. Following this incident, the Quy Hop Commune People's Committee requests the Provincial People's Committee to pay attention, direct the investigation to clarify responsibility and rectify environmental protection practices of the relevant enterprise; and at the same time, direct the implementation of a change in the water source for the Quy Hop Water Treatment Plant…”
Mr. Quan Vi Giang - Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Hop Commune
