PM requires stronger management of mining right-related auctions

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the strengthening of management over the implementation of auctions for mining rights, particularly for minerals used as common construction materials, given signs of legal violations detected in the recent bidding for the mining right of three sand mines in Hanoi.

In a November 11 dispatch sent to the Ministers of Public Security, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, and Construction; and the Chairpersons of the People’s Committees of Hanoi, and other centrally-run cities, and provinces, the PM noted that in recent times, many localities have organised public and transparent auctions to grant mining rights, achieving many positive results, and contributing to generating large revenues for local budgets.

However, in Hanoi, recently, the outcomes of the auctions for the mining rights of three sand mines of Lien Mac, Chau Son and Tay Dang - Minh Chau showed abnormal signs, as the winning price was many times higher than the starting price, thus causing public concerns as well as possible negative effects on socio-economic development and the construction material market.

Therefore, the Government leader requested the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee to instruct the immediate examination of the entire process of surveying, evaluating mine reserves, preparing documents and organising auctions related to the three sand mines, in order to promptly detect and strictly handle any violation of regulations in mining right auctions, prevent acts of taking advantage of auctions to push up prices and cause market disturbance, and report the results to the Prime Minister before November 20, 2023.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was asked to preside and coordinate with the Ministries of Finance, Construction, and Justice and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to urgently inspect the organisation of mining rights auctions, especially for minerals used as common building materials, that show unusual signs; promptly detect inadequacies in legal regulations with a view to fixing them to prevent profiteering; strictly handle acts of taking advantage of auctions to cause market disturbance; and propose solutions to limit negative impacts.

The Ministry of Public Security was tasked with directing local police to keep a close watch on the situation to promptly detect, prevent, and strictly handle violations of legal regulations in mining rights auctions.