By Van Nam - The Saigon Times Daily
HCMC – The government of Binh Thuan Province has decided to suspend the titanium exploitation activities of three enterprises for violating the regulations on environment and mining.
Speaking to the Daily on Monday, Director Huynh Giac of the provincial department of natural resources and environment said the suspended exploiters are Duong Anh Joint Stock Company, Tan Quang Cuong Trading Co. Ltd. and Binh Thuan Mineral Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company.
These enterprises have yet to apply for waste emission into water source, nor get licensed for fresh water exploitation serving mineral processing. They also had mining operation beyond the approved design.
For example, the titanium ore Suoi Nhum in Tien Thanh Commune, Phan Thiet City was approved for mining to the average depth of 5.4 meters. However, Binh Thuan Mineral Investment and Trading Co. exploited it to the depth of 15-30 meters, or 3-5 times deeper then the permitted.
Giac said the environment department would further inspect the operation of other titanium exploiters along the coastline to correct the exploitation activities causing pollution to the coastal environment.
According to Binh Thuan’s government, there are 15 enterprises licensed for titanium mining in the province, ten of which were granted investment certificates to built mineral processing factories. Still, the mineral exploited and processed for export was mostly raw material.