Titanium mining suspended after protests on Vietnam island
Published by MAC on 2006-09-01
Titanium mining suspended after protests on Vietnam island
1st September 2006
Reported by Dinh Phu, Cao Nguyen – Translated by An Dien
http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/?catid=3&newsid=19539
Four titanium exploration companies on central Vietnam's Nhon Ly Island saw their operations halted Thursday after protests that their activities depleted groundwater and affected the environment.
The Binh Dinh province administration had licensed the four, Truong An Ltd. Co., Trung Viet Ltd. Co., Tien Phat Ltd. Co., and Tu Luc Ltd. Co., to mine for the substance on the Island.
But after hundreds of protestors stormed the four companies last week, condemning their large-scale excavations, Nguyen Van Thien, vice chairman of the province people's committee, called halt to their operations.
However, Thien said mining for titanium in the region, aimed at ultimately setting up an economic park on the island, had been okayed by the Vietnam government.
So, authorities would look for other locations to mine, he said.
Titanium is a strong, highly corrosion-resistant element that occurs widely in igneous rocks.
It is used to alloy aircraft metals because of its low weight, strength, and stability at high temperatures.