Government encourages provinces to remove mining operations affecting crucial wildlife habitats
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam is taking decisive action to protect the country's rich biodiversity, particularly the endangered white-shanked douc langur, by integrating biodiversity conservation with mineral resource protection into provincial planning.
In a recent push, the ministry has urged localities to study relevant laws, decrees, and circulars to guide stakeholders in fulfilling their rights and obligations in mineral activities. The ministry is also strengthening environmental impact assessment procedures and enforcing post-mining restoration obligations.
The ministry's requirements and guidelines focus on eliminating harmful mining in critical habitats, conducting thorough reviews of mineral projects, enforcing strict environmental restoration, integrating biodiversity goals into planning, and strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration to protect Vietnam’s biodiversity while managing mineral resources.
One of the key priorities is the elimination of mining activities that negatively impact habitats of endangered species, particularly where biodiversity is rich or consists of rare endemic species like the white-shanked douc langur. This includes reviewing and assessing mineral extraction, processing projects, and deep mineral processing facilities for their environmental impacts.
The ministry also stresses the importance of strict monitoring through improved policies and technologies to ensure mining does not threaten biodiversity and ecosystems. Provincial planning must integrate biodiversity conservation goals aligned with national strategies, such as expanding protected areas and restoring degraded ecosystems.
Cross-sector coordination and community participation are also crucial for effective biodiversity protection. The ministry calls for collaboration across ministries and local authorities to ensure biodiversity protection is effective alongside mineral resource management.
While specific regulatory details or a single comprehensive guideline document from the Ministry was not found, the Dispatch No. 5212/BNNMT-ĐCKS referenced in 2025 underscores these comprehensive approaches toward balancing biodiversity conservation with mineral resource development at the provincial level.
The ministry is also working to ensure effective implementation of the 2024 Law on Geology and Minerals. Deputy Minister Tràn Quý Kiên signed a directive urging local authorities to step up management of mining activities, particularly in areas where ecosystems are vulnerable.
Any project deemed unsafe, polluting, or using outdated and wasteful technology must be required to submit a plan for upgrading its operations. Mining zones that negatively impact habitats of endangered species are to be removed, and ecosystems around former mining sites are to be restored.
Local governments are also urged to intensify monitoring of actual mineral outputs to prevent fraud and resource losses. In cases beyond local jurisdiction, provinces are expected to compile reports and send them to the ministries of Agriculture and Environment, Industry and Trade, Construction, and the Prime Minister for further direction.
Provincial authorities are encouraged to recommend terminating projects and revoking their investment registration certificates or investment approval decisions if upgrades are not implemented in accordance with laws on investment and environmental protection.
The ministry has not provided any new information about the white-shanked douc langur or the environmental consequences of mining activities, but the recent investigative series highlighted the environmental consequences of prolonged rock blasting, cement production, and material transportation in Kim Bảng and Thanh Liêm. These activities have caused pollution and disrupted the lives of thousands of local residents.
In summary, the Ministry’s efforts aim to ensure effective implementation of the 2024 Law on Geology and Minerals, protect Vietnam’s rich biodiversity, and balance the needs of mineral resource development with biodiversity conservation.
- The ministry is encouraging localities to study relevant laws, decrees, and circulars to fulfill their rights and obligations in mineral activities, focusing on eliminating harmful mining in critical habitats.
- The ministry is strengthening environmental impact assessment procedures and enforcing post-mining restoration obligations, with a key priority being the elimination of mining activities that negatively impact habitats of endangered species.
- Provincial planning must integrate biodiversity conservation goals aligned with national strategies, such as expanding protected areas and restoring degraded ecosystems, to protect Vietnam’s biodiversity while managing mineral resources.
- The ministry is emphasizing the importance of strict monitoring through improved policies and technologies to ensure mining does not threaten biodiversity and ecosystems, and is working to ensure effective implementation of the 2024 Law on Geology and Minerals.
- In cases of unsafe, polluting, or outdated mining technology, projects must be required to submit a plan for upgrading their operations, and mining zones that negatively impact habitats of endangered species are to be removed, with ecosystems around former mining sites to be restored.
- Local governments are urged to intensify monitoring of actual mineral outputs to prevent fraud and resource losses, and to compile reports and send them to relevant ministries if issues fall beyond local jurisdiction.
- The ministry has not provided new information about the white-shanked douc langur or the environmental consequences of mining activities, but a recent investigative series highlighted the environmental consequences of prolonged rock blasting, cement production, and material transportation in certain areas.
