With such an uncontrollable exploitation, the titan reserve in Binh Dinh will become exhausted within 15-20 years. Photo: Cat Thanh hamlet’s residents illegally exploit titan (Tien Sy)

* There were previously some studies on the titan reserve and its distribution in Binh Dinh. How is the titan reserve in Binh Dinh today?

- Out of Binh Dinh’s mineral resources, titan is a kind of mineral sand that has a large reserve. In the year 80s of the previous century, there were some studies to identify the titan reserve in Binh Dinh. The results of the No.504 geology delegation (1978), Geology and Mineral Institute (1980-1982), No.201 geology delegation (1988), and University of Mining and Geology (1996-1998) evaluated Binh Dinh’s potential of titan reserve with 2,5 million tons of ilmenite. With this reserve, Binh Dinh and such central provinces as Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, and Binh Thuan are provinces where there are a great amount of titan reserve.

The distribution of mineral sand concentrates on 7 areas: Xuong Ly (Nhon Ly-Quynhon city), De Gi, Trung Luong, Hung Luong (Phu Cat), Tan Thanh, Hung Lac (Phu My), and Lo Dieu (Hoai Nhon). Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has recently steered the Radioactive and Rare Earth Geological Devision to re-evaluate the titan reserve in Binh Dinh and found more titan reserves in some places, including Nhon Hoi Industrial Zone. However, with the uncontrollable exploitation in recent years, the titan reserve has become exhausted. The left estimated amount is only about 1,5 million tons.

* How is the application of titan in reality?

- Titan is often considered as a kind of “black gold” because of its uses in real life. It’s used in the white dye in paint, paper, toothpaste, and plastic. Paint made from TiO2 (a substance in titan) reflects the infrared radiation well, so it’s widely used in the astronomy and outdoor paints. Besides, the titan alloy is mainly used in the aeronautics, armour, naval ships, spacecrafts, and rockets because it is resilient (even at high temperature), light, and heat-resistant.

Titan is also used to make other products such as golf clubs, bicycles, experiment and medical instruments, laptops, pipes in the food processing, or cement and precious stones producing, etc.

The technology for exploiting titan in Vietnam in general and Binh Dinh in particular is still backward, so titan is only produced under the raw form. Its value is, therefore, much more lower than in reality. This is a very big loss in resources.

* How do you evaluate the consequences of the uncontrollable titan exploitation? In your opinion, which measures should be done to protect and reasonably exploit this precious resource?

- The most obvious consequences are the environmental damage, resources exhaustion, and industry and tourism-related influences. Titan is a kind of minaral sand that can’t be re-created, so the uncontrollable exploitation will make the resource become exhausted and lost. Only within 15-20 years Binh Dinh’s titan reserve will be completely exhausted if the uncontrollable exploitation continues.

That local residents at Cat Thanh hamlet (Phu Cat district) illegally exploit, transport and purchase titan absolutely break the Mineral Law and Trade Law on goods. The functional bodies have been trying their best to prevent the illegal titan exploitation. However, there also need specific measures to avoid repeating the problem. Alongside this, it’s necessary to have a study on re-evaluate the provincial titan reserve and a sustainable and oriented strategy for the titan exploitation.

* Thank you very much!

• Interviewed by Mai Hong
• Translated by Hong Quang