From mining to farming: Đắk Nông's bold move to repurpose bauxite mines for agricultural development

More than 130 hectares of land previously used for bauxite mining are set to be repurposed in Đắk Nông province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The plan includes establishing resettlement areas for households who lost their land due to bauxite mining and implementing advanced agricultural practices.

The proposal was initiated following a report submitted by the Đắk Nông Aluminium Company, a subsidiary of Việt Nam National Coal - Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited, to the Evaluation Council of the Mineral Mining Closure Project under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The report concerns relinquishing a portion of the land utilized for bauxite ore extraction at the Nhân Cơ bauxite mine. This mine is situated within the administrative boundaries of several communes and a town in Đắk R’lấp district within the province.

After finalising the procedures, the company is obliged to surrender the land to the local authorities for utilisation in accordance with the approved land use plans endorsed by the provincial People's Committee.

As per the provincial People's Committee, the pace of mine closures aimed at land restoration for local authority use could be more active.

Consequently, the committee has recommended that the ministry prioritise and accelerate the approval process of phased mine closure initiatives. This would enable the corporation to promptly return the land, facilitating socio-economic development within the province.

During a meeting with provincial leaders on March 12, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Đặng Quốc Khánh directed the ministry's subordinate units to collaborate with the provincial People's Committee in reassessing the utilisation of post-bauxite mining lands to ensure compliance with current regulations and real-world conditions.

Khánh emphasised the importance of promptly closing and transferring mined land areas that meet closure criteria to local authorities for effective management and utilisation, thereby preventing the wastage of valuable land resources.

As per the mineral mining license numbered 2624/GP-BTNMT, issued on November 11, 2016, by the Ministry of Environment, the corporation is authorised to conduct open-pit bauxite mining operations in the Nhân Cơ bauxite mine, spanning across communes including Kiến Thành, Đắk Wer, Nghĩa Thắng, Đạo Nghĩa, Đắk Sin, Nhân Đạo, Nhân Cơ, and the township of Kiến Đức in Đắk R'Lấp District of the province.

The licensed mining area covers 3,074 hectares, with a designated 30-year mining period and estimated reserves of nearly 55 billion tonnes of bauxite ore.