Investors and contractors of the Nhan Co Aluminum project in the Central Highlands of Dak Nong have been asked to put the plant into trial operation by the end of 2014.

The request was made on July 31 by a working mission of the steering committee for the implementation of bauxite plants in Central Highlands under the Ministry of Industry and Trade while inspecting the project’s progress.

According to the project management board, to date over 12 trillion VND (564 million USD) has been poured into facilities, accounting for 73 percent of the total investment (16.8 trillion VND). However, the progress is one and a half years slower than schedule.

All imported equipment and over 80 percent of locally-made ones have been transported to the project site for installation.

Head of the ministry’s Heavy Industries Department Nguyen Manh Quan acknowledged efforts of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) - the project’s investor - as well as the local authorities in the implementation of the project. He asked investors and contractors to mobilise all resources to complete the project on time.

Nhan Co Aluminum Plant is the largest bauxite project in the Central Highland region. It is designed to produce 650,000 tonnes of aluminum a year in the initial period, using advanced and environmentally-friendly technology.

The plant is expected to boost economic restructuring and socio-economic development of Dak Nong and the whole region.-VNA