15 potential rare earth sites identified in the Northwest

The Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) has just completed the report on the General Survey of Minerals and the Geological Map at a scale of 1/50,000 in the Northwest region (Northwest Project).

The Department has identified 15 locations of magmatic rocks with potential for ion adsorption rare earths in weathering crusts and proposed to include them in the project for a comprehensive survey of rare earth ores nationwide.

The Northwest Project was approved by the Government and implemented since 2017. The scope of the investigation includes 12 provinces: Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang and 21 western districts of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces. The total area is 109,250 km2.

Rare earths include 17 elements, most of which play an irreplaceable role in the production of high-tech equipment, batteries, permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines, aircraft, telephones and the defense industry.

Investigation of rare earths in the Northwest was first carried out by Soviet experts in the 1960s. In 2010, with funding from Japan, the Radioactive-Rare Geological Federation investigated in three provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau and found rare earths in the form of ion adsorption at Ben Den, Gia Phu commune, Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province.

Among the identified rare earth mines, the mine in Dong Pao, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau has the largest reserves. The mine in Yen Phu commune, Van Yen district, Yen Bai has been licensed for exploitation by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment). However, due to technological limitations, both of these mines have not been exploited to date.

In addition to rare earths, the project team also discovered and evaluated the resources of 110 mines of 25 minerals. Of these, 17 are large mines, including 5 metal mines, 10 industrial mineral mines, and 2 construction material mines. There are 43 medium mines and 50 small mines.

Areas with deep metal mineral prospects include: One copper ore area in Lao Cai, two tin-tungsten ore areas in Nghe An, four gold ore areas in Lai Chau, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and Bac Kan.

Industrial minerals and construction materials have identified 6 areas including: ceramic materials in Tuyen Quang; fine art stones in Phu Tho; Quartzite in Ha Giang, Dien Bien; dolomite in Son La.