Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung attended a ceremony to remove the top layer of earth from the Thach Khe iron ore mine in Ha Tinh province on Sept. 8.

The Deputy PM described the Thach Khe mine as one of the nation’s key projects.

“By providing the raw materials for domestic steel and pig-iron producers whilst also generating many other auxiliary services, the Thach Khe project is expected to turn Ha Tinh into the northern central region’s industrial hub,” said Hung.

He called on the local authorities and project’s executives to look after the environment while ensuring the mine’s schedule, to ensure it is in full operation by early 2012.

The Thach Khe iron ore mine has estimated deposits of 544 million tonnes.

At a depth of 550m, the mine is expected to yield 370 million tonnes of ore to provide the raw material for steel and cast-iron producers in the Vung Ang economic zone and elsewhere nationwide. In its first phase, the mine is estimated to produce between five and 10 million tonnes a year.

The Thach Khe Iron Joint Stock Company (TIC) won the bid to move 13 million cu.m of soil from the mine during its first phase at a cost of 553.8 billion VND (30.7 million USD).

The initial stages are expected to be finished by the first quarter of 201.

The TIC is also taking steps to build a steel-ingot mill with an annual capacity of four million tonnes in Vung Ang economic zone and a transport system to move the ore from the mine to the factory./.