Vinacomin Proposes $208 Million Bauxite Project in Lam Dong
Vinacomin is seeking approval for a $208 million bauxite mining and processing project in Vietnam’s Lam Dong province, with planned annual output of about 3 million tonnes of processed ore. Construction is expected to begin in early 2028, with operations starting in 2029. Local authorities have called for a careful assessment of environmental and social impacts.
Vinacomin is seeking approval for a $208 million bauxite mining and processing project in Lam Dong province. Located in the Nhan Co mining area, the project covers more than 6,666 hectares and is designed to produce about 3 million tonnes of processed bauxite ore a year to supply the Nhan Co Aluminium Plant. The mining area covers about 5,269 hectares, and the ore processing plant about 50 hectares.
Image related to the Lam Dong bauxite project（VietVance）
Supporting facilities include five reservoirs for sludge from ore processing, covering about 1,120 hectares; the Dak Buk So 8 water reservoir, covering about 318 hectares; and a conveyor system to transport processed ore to the aluminium plant. About 527 hectares are planned for the raw ore transport system, power lines and other auxiliary facilities.
The project is expected to operate for 30 years from the date the investor receives approval for land allocation, a land lease or a change in land use. Under the proposed schedule, legal procedures, investment preparations and land clearance will take place from the fourth quarter of 2026 to the fourth quarter of 2027. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2028, with completion and operations in 2029. Once operational, the project is expected to contribute about VND500 billion (approximately $20 million) a year to the state budget and provide jobs for about 800 people during construction and operation.
The project is also intended to supply raw materials for the expansion and capacity increase of the Nhan Co Alumina Plant, which has received investment approval. On November 10, Nguyen Ba Ut, Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong People’s Committee, asked local authorities during a meeting with Vinacomin to carefully assess the project’s impact on the environment, ecosystems and social security, and to review its planning, scope, scale and legal basis. Current regulations require bauxite exploration and mining to be linked to deep processing, at least through the alumina production stage. The investor must also have the capacity to implement the project as a whole and meet technology, equipment and environmental protection requirements.
Source: VietVance
