Iron-ore mine starts clean-up after mudslide

The Viet Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vina-comin) has taken responsibility for repairing damage caused by a mudslide last week in northern mountainous Cao Bang Province.

A sea of mud and water surged from a dam built to hold earth from an iron ore mine operated by Cao Bang Minerals and Metallurgy Company, a subsidiary of Vinacomin, which inundated houses and fields in Duyet Trung Commune and submerged roads.

Deputy General Director of the group Phung Manh Dac said the company was building a pipeline to pump the mud back into its dams and that cranes would be used to clear the mud from roads. Pumps would be erected to remove mud from homes.

The company had planned to resettle Ma Thi Bach’s household, which was most affected by the spill in Na Keo Hamlet, but she did not want to relocate. Instead, the company provided her with VND7 million (US$333) and removed the mud from her house.

Four other households received VND1 million ($47.6) each for being forced to move from the mud covered area.

Company deputy director Dam Trung Ky said it had used four excavators, eight trucks and over 200 workers to dredge the mud and prevent local residents and cattle from falling into streams.

The provincial People’s Committee has asked the company to complete dredging no later than December. However, company leaders said it would not be able to meet the deadline because of the huge amount of mud covering agricultural lands and stream banks.

It has also been unable to come up with a plan to prevent the mud from entering Bang River.

In response to health concerns, Vinacomin announced the mud was made up of water, not chemicals, so it was non-toxic. However, deputy head of the provincial Environment Protection Department Doan Ngoc Bau said submerged trees could die from a lack of oxygen.

Chairman of the People’s Committee, Nguyen Hoang Anh has asked authorities to evaluate the mud to determine its potential to harm human health.

Four dams were build to hold earth extracted from the company’s iron-ore mine. Two of the dams have not been used while the third became overloaded.

Vinacomin also approved a plan to build a 14ha dam with a total investment of VND30 billion ($1.5 million) but it was rejected because no environmental report was completed.

As of yesterday, mud continued to flow into the river. — VNS