Mining company seeks to expand alumina production by a fourth

The giant mineral company wants to increase the mining of bauxite, the principal ore from which aluminum is made, by 23 percent at its two mining and processing complexes in the Central Highlands, Tan Rai in Lam Dong province and Nhan Co in Dak Nong province.

If it gets the green light, the output of alumina, which is made from bauxite and is used as a starting material for the smelting of aluminum metal, at the complexes will rise by 150,000 tons a year.

The two mines have reserves of around 260 million tons, according to Vinacomin.

They have broken even years earlier than planned on surging global aluminum prices.

The Tan Rai complex, for instance, posted profits of VND379 billion ($16.6 million) in 2017 and almost quintupled that a year later to VND1.8 trillion.

Vinacomin also sought the government’s approval for its 2021-30 plans, which would serve as a basis for it to begin new bauxite projects in the Central Highlands.

Vietnam has the world’s third largest bauxite reserves of 3.7 billion tonnes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The majority of them are in the Central Highlands and have only been minimally mined.