Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently approved a master plan for iron ore exploration, exploitation, and processing to 2020 with a view to 2030, which aims at ensuring the industry’s sustainable development while meeting to the maximum demand of the domestic metallurgical sector.

Under the plan, 25 exploratory projects are to be completed by 2020, and two large-scaled iron mines, namely Thach Khe in central Ha Tinh province and Quy Xa in northern Lao Cai province, will be put into operation at full design capacity, besides small- and medium-sized ones in some northern and central provinces.

The output of ore mining and processing is to be gradually increased to reach 25 million tonnes by 2025 and 25.5 million tonnes by 2030.

Total investment for iron ore exploration, exploitation, and processing until 2030 is estimated at 20.28 trillion VND (965.7 million USD).

The country has so far found iron ore reserves of about 1.3 billion tonnes, excluding low-quality laterite iron ore in the Central Highlands, the plan says.-VNA