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Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Vietnam jails 23 over illegal rare earths mining, US$30m worth sold to China
HANOI, May 21 — A Vietnamese court today jailed 23 officials and business people over the illegal exploitation and export of rare earths. The trial comes after the US Geological Survey (USGS) this year significantly revised down its estimate of rare earth deposits in Vietnam, which it once considered the world's second largest. The nine-day trial in Hanoi saw verdicts handed down to 27 defendants, including former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc, who was given three years in jail for 'violating state regulations causing wastefulness'. Others were given a range of prison sentences — with 16 years being the highest — for a number of offences, including violation of regulations on natural resources exploitation and causing environmental pollution. Four people were given suspended sentences. According to the court, the case concerning the exploitation, trade and export of mineral resources was 'especially serious'. The court said that a firm called Thai Duong Company was unlawfully granted a mining licence for rare earth exploitation in Yen Phu mine in northern mountainous Yen Bai province between 2019 and 2023. This photo taken on May 12, 2025 shows Vietnam's former deputy minister of natural resources and environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc (L) standing during his trial for illegal exploitation and exports of rare earths at the People's Court in Hanoi. A Vietnamese court on May 21 gave jail terms to 23 officials and business people over the illegal exploitation and export of rare earths. — AFP pic Defendants involved—including environment officials as well as chief accountants and executives at various companies—sold the rare earths and iron ore from the mine for close to US$30 million (RM120 million), much of it to China. USGS slashed this year its estimate of Vietnam's rare earth reserves from an estimated 22 million tons to 3.5 million, threatening its ambitions to compete with Beijing in a sector crucial to high-tech devices. The revision meant the country dropped from the world's second largest reserve holder to the sixth, behind China, Brazil, India, Australia and Russia. USGS describes mineral reserves data as 'dynamic'. Reserves may be reduced as ore is mined or the feasibility of extraction diminishes, or they may continue to increase as additional deposits are developed, USGS says. Rare earths are a group of 17 heavy metals that are abundant in the Earth's crust across the globe. But mining the metals requires heavy chemical use that results in huge amounts of toxic waste and has caused several environmental disasters, making many countries wary of shouldering the heavy financial costs for production. Each of the rare earths is used in industry and found in a variety of everyday and high-tech devices, from light bulbs to guided missiles. — AFP
Malay Mail
21-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Vietnam jails 23 over illegal rare earths mining, $30m worth sold to China
HANOI, May 21 — A Vietnamese court today jailed 23 officials and business people over the illegal exploitation and export of rare earths. The trial comes after the US Geological Survey (USGS) this year significantly revised down its estimate of rare earth deposits in Vietnam, which it once considered the world's second largest. The nine-day trial in Hanoi saw verdicts handed down to 27 defendants, including former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc, who was given three years in jail for 'violating state regulations causing wastefulness'. Others were given a range of prison sentences — with 16 years being the highest — for a number of offences, including violation of regulations on natural resources exploitation and causing environmental pollution. Four people were given suspended sentences. According to the court, the case concerning the exploitation, trade and export of mineral resources was 'especially serious'. The court said that a firm called Thai Duong Company was unlawfully granted a mining licence for rare earth exploitation in Yen Phu mine in northern mountainous Yen Bai province between 2019 and 2023. This photo taken on May 12, 2025 shows Vietnam's former deputy minister of natural resources and environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc (L) standing during his trial for illegal exploitation and exports of rare earths at the People's Court in Hanoi. A Vietnamese court on May 21 gave jail terms to 23 officials and business people over the illegal exploitation and export of rare earths. — AFP pic Defendants involved—including environment officials as well as chief accountants and executives at various companies—sold the rare earths and iron ore from the mine for close to $30 million, much of it to China. USGS slashed this year its estimate of Vietnam's rare earth reserves from an estimated 22 million tons to 3.5 million, threatening its ambitions to compete with Beijing in a sector crucial to high-tech devices. The revision meant the country dropped from the world's second largest reserve holder to the sixth, behind China, Brazil, India, Australia and Russia. USGS describes mineral reserves data as 'dynamic'. Reserves may be reduced as ore is mined or the feasibility of extraction diminishes, or they may continue to increase as additional deposits are developed, USGS says. Rare earths are a group of 17 heavy metals that are abundant in the Earth's crust across the globe. But mining the metals requires heavy chemical use that results in huge amounts of toxic waste and has caused several environmental disasters, making many countries wary of shouldering the heavy financial costs for production. Each of the rare earths is used in industry and found in a variety of everyday and high-tech devices, from light bulbs to guided missiles. — AFP
CNA
21-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Vietnam jails 23 people over rare earths exploitation
HANOI: A Vietnamese court on Wednesday (May 21) jailed 23 officials and business people over the illegal exploitation and export of rare earths. The trial comes after the US Geological Survey (USGS) this year significantly revised down its estimate of rare earth deposits in Vietnam, which it once considered the world's second largest. The nine-day trial in Hanoi saw verdicts handed down to 27 defendants, including former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc, who was given three years in jail for "violating state regulations causing wastefulness". Others were given a range of prison sentences – with 16 years being the highest – for a number of offences, including violation of regulations on natural resources exploitation and causing environmental pollution. Four people were given suspended sentences. According to the court, the case concerning the exploitation, trade and export of mineral resources was "especially serious". The court said that a firm called Thai Duong Company was unlawfully granted a mining licence for rare earth exploitation in Yen Phu mine in northern mountainous Yen Bai province between 2019 and 2023. Defendants involved – including environment officials as well as chief accountants and executives at various companies – sold the rare earths and iron ore from the mine for close to US$30 million, much of it to China. USGS slashed this year its estimate of Vietnam's rare earth reserves from an estimated 22 million tonnes to 3.5 million tonnes, threatening its ambitions to compete with Beijing in a sector crucial to high-tech devices. The revision meant the country dropped from the world's second largest reserve holder to the sixth, behind China, Brazil, India, Australia and Russia. USGS describes mineral reserves data as "dynamic". Reserves may be reduced as ore is mined or the feasibility of extraction diminishes, or they may continue to increase as additional deposits are developed, USGS says. Rare earths are a group of 17 heavy metals that are abundant in the Earth's crust across the globe. But mining the metals requires heavy chemical use that results in huge amounts of toxic waste and has caused several environmental disasters, making many countries wary of shouldering the heavy financial costs for production.
The Star
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Trial of the former Vietnamese deputy minister in rare earth case opened
HANOI: The trial of the case of Thai Duong Company and related units illegally exploiting rare earth at the Yen Phu mine in Yen Bai Province opened in Hanoi on Monday (May 12). Among 27 defendants on trial, seven are former leaders and employees of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Yen Bai Province. They are prosecuted for the crime of "violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste" as defined under the Penal Code. They are Nguyen Linh Ngoc, former deputy minister; Nguyen Van Thuan, former director of the General Department of Geology and Minerals; Hoang Van Khoa, former director of the Department of Minerals (belonging General Department of Geology and Minerals); Le Duy Phuong, former senior specialist of the Department of Minerals; Ho Duc Hop, former director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Yen Bai Province; Le Cong Tien, former deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Yen Bai Province; Bui Doan Nhu, former deputy director of the Sub-department of Environmental Protection of Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Yen Bai Province. The other 20 defendants are directors, deputy directors, accountants and staffs of companies of Thai Duong, the Vietnam Rare Earth Joint Stock Company, the Truong Son War Invalid Joint Stock Company, Duong Lieu Logistics Company, Hop Thanh Phat Transport Company, Atexim Company and HUYHUANG Company. The charge is for: "violating regulations on resource exploitation, accounting causing serious consequences, and causing environmental pollution, smuggling, and receiving property obtained through criminal acts." According to the indictment by the Supreme People's Procuracy, this is an especially serious case related to the exploitation, business operations, export and State management of mineral resources. Doan Van Huan, acting as the head of Thai Duong Company, organised and directed the illegal mining of rare earth and iron ore at the Yen Phu mine between 2019 and 2023. The total value of illegally extracted minerals is over VNĐ864 billion (US$34 million), of which Huan and his accomplices sold ores worth more than VNĐ763 billion ($30 million). Huan also directed the creation of two accounting systems, causing a tax loss of over VNĐ9.6 billion ($380,000) to the State. In 2012, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment assigned Deputy Minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc to oversee matters relating to geology and minerals, and to supervise the General Department of Geology and Minerals – the agency responsible for receiving and evaluating applications for mineral exploitation licence. Previously, in 2011, the general department received a licence application for rare earth mining at Yen Phu mine from Thái Dương Company. Ngoc then signed a report to the Prime Minister recommending the issuance of the licence, stating that 'the application dossier meets all requirements.' The Government Office then issued a document instructing relevant ministries to direct the investor to formulate a project on deep processing of rare earths, along with an environmental impact assessment report. The PM also issued a directive to strengthen State management over the exploration, mining, processing, use and export of mineral resources. Following this directive, Thai Duong Company prepared an investment project for a rare earth deep processing complex, including a hydrometallurgical plant in Yên Bái and a separation-processing plant in Dinh Vu of Hai Phong City. Subsequently, on December 14, 2012, the Government Office sent a document to the Ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, and Industry and Trade, and the People's Committee of Yen Bai Province to convey the Prime Minister's opinion: 'In principle, approval is granted for the exploitation and processing of rare earth ores at Yen Phu, provided that the ores are deeply processed, no raw ores are exported, and all legal obligations under the Mineral Law are fulfilled; the exploitation rights must not be transferred to foreign organisations or individuals.' Upon receiving this document, Deputy Minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc instructed the General Department to finalise the licensing procedures for Thai Duong Company. At that time, the project had changed in both scale and nature. It was no longer just a mining and ore-processing project, as initially proposed in 2011, but included three inseparable components of mining and ore-processing project, the hydrometallurgical plant in Yên Bái and the separation-processing plant in Hai Phong. However, Thai Duong Company's application dossier only included an investment certificate for the mining and ore-processing project, issued by the Yen Bai Province People's Committee in 2011 (which expired in 2012) and had not been renewed or reissued. There were no investment certificates for the hydrometallurgical plant in Yên Bái or the separation-processing plant in Hai Phong. Furthermore, Thai Duong Company's equity capital did not meet the legal requirement of 30 per cent of the project's total investment (having only VNĐ200 billion ($7.9 million) compared to a total investment of VNĐ1.953 trillion ($77 million), which violated the Mineral Law. Nevertheless, officials at the General Department still used the 2011 appraisal results to submit the application. Deputy Minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc, despite reviewing and knowing that Thai Duong Company did not meet the necessary conditions, still signed off on the licence in 2013. The procuracy concluded that the actions of the leaders and officials at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment contributed to enabling Huan to illegally exploit and sell rare earth and iron ore worth a total of VNĐ736 billion ($29 million). The trial is expected to last ten days. - Vietnam News/ANN
