에너지공학, 제27권 제3호(2018) Journal of Energy Engineering, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp.41~47(2018) https://doi.org/10.5855/ENERGY.2018.27.3.041 Bauxite developments in Vietnam : Opportunities and Challenges Lai Quang Tuan1,2, Ji Whan Ahn3,* 1Department of Resources Recycling, University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Gajeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34113, Korea; [email protected] 2Vietnam Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (VIGMR), Hanoi 151170, Vietnam 3Center for Carbon Mineralization, Climate Change Mitigation and Sustainability Division, Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), 124 Gwahak-ro, Gajeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34132, Korea (Received 7 August 2018, Revised 12 September 2018, Accepted 14 September 2018) Abstract Bauxite is the principal raw material to produce alumina. Bauxite mining industry has grown gradually due to the rising demand for alumina. U.S Geological Surveys (USGS 2018) estimates the world’s reserves of bauxite roughly 55-75 billion tonnes. Vietnam holds up to 3.7 billion tonnes, the third after Guinea and Australia. Most of bauxite reserves are located in Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands), and have only been minimally mined to date. The approved master plan in 2007 of the Government of Vietnam licenses bauxite mining and alumina production projects in Central Highlands through six projects until 2025. These projects constitute many potentially enormous economic, social and environmental impacts. Key words : Bauxite, residual, Central Highlands, environment 1. Introduction strategic policy (announcement No. 245-TB/TW, 2009) and priority industry (decision No. 55/2007/QD-TTg, Bauxite is the main raw material used in the alu- 2007) aimed at developing regional as well as na- minum manufacturing, and is one of the most econo- tional economy. The Central Highlands was a strate- mically minerals. According to United States Geolo- gic region in the Vietnam’s history and is also a stra- gical Survey (USGS), world’s bauxite resources are tegic region in developing economy and defending estimated approximately 55 to 75 billion tonnes. Bau- (Rambo A.T, 1995). Since the extraction bauxite here xite reserve in Vietnam is estimated to be 3.7 billion has been posing the great challenge of balancing be- tonnes (Mineral Commodity Summaries 2018, 2018). tween economic development and negative impacts It is account for approximately 12.3% of the world’s on regional and national wide. A large-scale bauxite reserve, less than Guinea (7.4 billion tonnes) and Aus- mining holds many risks on society, environment, cul- tralia (6.0 billion tonnes). ture and national security (Giap V.N, 2009). There- Hoang H (2009) demonstrated that 90% of Viet- fore, mining bauxite should be fully examined to mini- nam’s bauxite reserve is distributed in the Central High- mum negative impacts. lands. In 2007, Vietnamese government has declared An overview of bauxite mining practices in Viet- the Master plan (decision No. 167/2007/QD-TTg, 2007) nam is showed in this paper, and a brief discussion to start its bauxite mining alumina production pro- of social and environmental challenges is also pro- jects. The exploration, and processing of bauxite is a vided. It could illustrate the basis of future chal- lenges on bauxite development in Vietnam. †To whom corresponding should be addressed. Tel : +82-42-868-3573, E-mail: [email protected] 42 Lai Quang Tuan, Ji Whan Ahn 2. Bauxite deposits in Vietnam Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong (North-to-South). When the Master Plan was approved and signed by Vietnamese government, 2.1 Background information with the strategic investors is Chinese government, 2 Vietnam, with a total landmass of 331,210 km , widespread debates against mining bauxite projects locates on the east of Indochina peninsula. The are overwhelming because of the potentially risks on country has S-shaped, with the length of 1,650 kilo- society, environment, culture, and particularly na- meters, the narrowest wide is about 50 kilometers, tional security. and of 3,260 kilometers coastline along the East Sea. Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temper- 2.2 Resources and distribution ate zone, and has a high rate of rainfall, and high According to the geological surveys (Liem N.V, humidity. The annual average temperatures range 1966; Trung T.T, 1972, 1976, 1977; Tinh D.N et al, from 22oC to 27oC (http://weatheronline.co.uk), rain- 2010), bauxite resource is very abundant and widely fall normally between 1,500 and 2,500 millimeters distributive in many locations of Vietnam, especially per year, and relative humidity of 84 % on average in Central Highlands (Xinh L.T, 1988; Lazarus K.M, throughout the year. 2009) (figure 1). This facilitates the exploitation and Imrich Kušnír (2010) indicated that Vietnam’s mi- development of aluminium industry in large scale (Phu- neral resources are rich in term of quality and quan- ong T.K, 2015). As classification of bauxite based tity. Vietnam owns some of the world's top resour- on genetic principles (Ida Valeton, 1972), Vietnam’s ces, including bauxites, and large reserves of fuel and bauxite is classified in two types: sedimentary (kars- nonfuel minerals (Ministry of Industry, 2002; Khoi tified limestones) (Trung T.T, 1976; Iacusep V et al, N.N, 2014). Vietnam's bauxite reserves are mainly 1978), and lateritic bauxite (weathered basalts) (Iacusep located in Dak Nong, Lam Dong, and Dak Lak V, 1979; Nhuan M.T, 1983). While, sedimentary bau- provinces (figure 1). xites are distributed mainly in the North (Hung L, Central Highlands has been a strategic region with 1972; Kušnír I, 2000), with the main minerals being a particularly important position in developing and monounsaturated (boehmite, diaspore), the lateritic defending of Vietnam, sharing the border with Lao deposits are developed mainly in the South with the and Cambodia. It is a highland terrain area covering main mineral component being hydrate 3 (gibbsite) 54,600 km2 of land surface including 5 provinces (Vinachem, 2006). Figure 1. Distribution of bauxite reserves in Vietnam (Lazarus K.M, 2009). 에너지공학 제27권 제3호 2018 Bauxite developments in Vietnam: Opportunities and Challenges 43 In North Vietnam, bauxite was concentrated in Binh Chemical Plant (Ho Chi Minh City), Tan Rai Lang Son (0.02 Mt), Cao Bang (77 Mt) and Ha Giang Plant (Lam Dong province), and Nhan Co Plant (Dak (49 Mt). (Vinachem, 2006). In South Vietnam, very Nong province). Table 1 demonstrates the detail de- large reserve of bauxite ores was identified on wea- scription for the investments of Tan Rai and Nhan thering basalt rocks, especially Dak Nong and Lam Co projects (Hoang H. 2009), two most important Dong provinces in Central Highlands. projects of Decision 167. After two projects Tan Rai and Nhan Co, four following projects of bauxite 3. Bauxite mining and residual practices mining and aluminium production in Central High- lands will be founded (Lazarus K.M, 2009) (table 2). Vietnamese government has recognized mining in- Other two aluminium production projects of smaller dustry as one of the leading contributor to the na- scale in Northeast Bac Bo region also will be found- tional economy. It is responsible for approximately ed after that (Phuong T.K, 2014). 7.47 % of the country’s gross domestic product in The projects of alumina production named Tan Rai 2017 (General statistic office of Vietnam, 2017), the and Nhan Co have been adopting production process fourth largest sector after manufacturing, agriculture, after Bayer technology (Phuong T.K, 2015). Figure and wholesale & retail trade. Vietnamese Prime Mini- 2 presents a simplified flow diagram of Bayer tech- ster Nguyen Tan Dung said bauxite reserves in Viet- nology (Szépvölgyi J, 2011). In Bayer process, an nam may total 11 billion metric tonnes (Oanh K.H enormous quantity of “toxic waste” known as red et al, 2010). The Mineral Commodity summaries mud will be generated. Discarded red mud contains 2018 ranked Vietnam as the third largest holder with compounds of chemical link with alkaline, having 3.7 billion tonnes (USGS, 2018). This does hold great high pH (9.2-12.8) (Gräfe M et al, 2011) due to diges- prospects for building an alumina-refining industry. tion at elevated temperature and pressure in Bayer’s Initially, before 1945, Vietnam’s bauxite was in- process, and remains impurities such as iron, silicon, vestigated and exploited by French in the north. Pre- titanium and calcium oxides. Each ton of manufac- sently, Vietnam has three bauxite mining projects are tured alumina (Al2O3) can discard to environment operating (Huan T.M, Loi V.D, 2017) including Tan 0.4- 2 tonnes of red mud (Abhilash S.S, 2014). Table 1. The investment items of Tan Rai and Nhan Co projects. Items Unit Tan Rai Nhan Co Note Total investment billion USD 628 697 Annual interest and principal payment rate of 7% Capacity of mining million tonnes 1.2 1.2 Lam Dong province and Dak Nong province Alumina output million tonnes 0.6 0.6 Doubled in phase II (2016-2025) Water use Million m3/year 1.5-2 1.5-2 Construct Cai Bang and Dak R'Tih hydropower plants to supply water and energy Electricity kwh/ton 200-256 200-256 Labor person 1600 1600 Red mud and tailing Construct 500 ha landfill area with a capacity of million m3/year 0.8 0.6 slurry discharge 20-25 million m3 Long-term land use km2 23 100 30-50 years for bauxite mining activities Displaced households household 1600 760 Railway system billion USD 3.1 Provide by the government Journal of Energy Engineering, Vol. 27, No. 3 (2018) 44 Lai Quang Tuan, Ji Whan Ahn Table 2. Development plan of bauxite mining in the Central Highlands.