Bauxite dangers rise to the surface

The Hungarian crisis was a wake-up call to ensure Vietnam’s environment is protected

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) early last week held an urgent meeting with state-run Vinacomin, requiring a review of its red sludge reservoir design for the two bauxite Tan Rai and Nhan Co projects in Lam Dong and Dak Nong provinces.

The requirement was made after learning about serious damage at a Hungarian red sludge reservoir this month.

About one million cubic metres of waste material leaked out of the alumina plant reservoir into several villages and waterways in Hungary, killing seven people, injuring 123 and fouling rivers including a branch of the Danube.

Many people suffered from burns and eye ailments caused by contact with sludge. According to environmental group Greenpeace, villages that bore the brunt of the sludge torrent could suffer in the longer term due to soil contamination affecting the water base and eco-system.

Vinacomin’s deputy general director Duong Van Hoa said the Hungarian crisis was a serious warning that could not be ignored, particularly as Vietnam had just entered the industry.

He said the group would propose new measures to ensure that the red sludge was safely contained.

Vietnam’s reservoir containing eight divisions is located in a valley and is 1.5 metres lower than the bauxite plants, which Vinacomin considered to be safer than the broken reservoir in Hungary.

The Vietnamese reservoir was designed by the Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco).

The Tan Rai project in Lam Dong has a designed capacity of 650,000 tonnes of alumin a year. It started construction in November, 2008 and is scheduled to put into operation in the first quarter of 2011.

Recently, the MoIT also requested the investor and local authorities in Dak Nong to speed-up land clearance progress for Nhan Co project.

Vietnam targeted to develop three alumin projects during 2008-2010, including the Tan Rai, Nhan Co and Kon Ha Nung in Gia Lai province.

Three other projects are planned for 2011-2015 the Dak Nong 2, 3 and 4, which have drawn interest from Chalco, Alcoa and BHPB.

Vietnam is estimated to have 5.5 billion tonnes of bauxite, the world’s third largest reserves with 90 per cent located in the central region. According to the Vietnamese government, the huge deposit was the decisive factor for the country to accelerate its own bauxite exploitation and alumin and aluminum production.