Located in the North of Vietnam, Lao Cai has an abundance of
natural resources including rare earth elements, apatite, copper,
zinc, lead, iron, molipden, gold, serpentine, graphite, quartzite
and vermiculite. In late July 2023, the Government approved a
master plan to explore, exploitate and use natural resources during
2023 – 2030, with a vision to 2050. This Article discusses
Vietnam's plan to develop the mining industry in Lao Cai
Province.
Plan to explore. Lao Cai is ranked no. 1 in
terms of several natural resource reserves [eg, apatite (126,000
tons); copper (367,000 tons); serpentine (16,000,000 tons);
graphite (6,700,000 tons); gold (44,000 tons); molipden (7,000
tons)]; and Lao Cai is ranked no. 2 in terms of iron reserves and
rare earth reserves.
