Vice-Chairman of Binh Dinh province People’s Committee, Le Huu Loc, hands over the investment certificate to the BNG’s representative. Photo C.H

Shape of the project

New Zealand-based Zedex Minerals Ltd’s KSML Company was set up to mainly invest in Vietnam. It set up representative offices in Ha Noi and Da Nang. Zedez has conducted gold mining projects in Bong Mieu, Phuoc Son (Quang Nam province), Na Pai (Lang Son), Dong Van Ban Phuong (Son La) since 1989.

Zedex has also intended to invest in Binh Dinh early. It cooperated with Binh Dinh Mineral Company proposed a gold mining project in Kim Son of Hoai An district in 1998, but it wasn’t approved. Nearly 10 years later, Zedex’ KSML and Biotan Mineral Joint-Stock Company were granted the investment license to conduct Tien Thuan gold mining project.

At the granting ceremony, Vice-Chairman of Binh Dinh province People’s Committee, Le Huu Loc, praised the New Zealand investor’s goodwill, promising that Binh Dinh province People’s Committee would create the most favorable conditions, maintain sustainable investment incentive policies for BNG company. He also wanted BNG to pay special attention to the environmental issues.

Progress of the project

The issue of the investment license for Tien Thuan gold mining project marked the Zedex’s development and the establishment of BNG company significantly contributed to the social-economic development in Binh Dinh, said general director of Zedex Minerals, Ltd, Puul Seton.

According to preliminary statistics, Tien Thuan gold mining project, when being conducted, will create jobs for nearly 500 local people. However, in the short-term, it will take a lot of time to study because Tien Thuan gold mine has a large reserve which needs to be explored with the industrial scale and modern technologies.

Results of the preliminary study showed that the gold ore in Tien Thuan mine is a kind of citrine which is vital to use advanced technologies for the exploration. BNG company planned to explore the mine within two years. The aim of the project is to seek the gold ore bed and chemical elements, preliminarily explore found ore bodies, and evaluate conditions of the mine and exploring methods.

BNG has to plan the proposal and report on the environmental influence for the approval. In the first phase, since the proposal and report approved, the identified reserve will be explored and the area will be continued studying. In the second phase, after ending the first, the reserve will be upgrade and the scale will be expanded.

• Cat Hung (translated by Hong Quang)