Classification of rare earth mineral exploration mine groups in Vietnam from January 6, 2025

Classification of rare earth mineral exploration mine groups in Vietnam from January 6, 2025​ (Image from the internet)

On November 21, 2024, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam issued Circular 21/2024/TT-BTNMT providing technical regulations for investigation, assessment of resources, and exploration of rare earth minerals.

1. Basis for the division of rare earth mineral exploration groups in Vietnam  from January 06, 2025

According to Clause 1, Article 29 of Circular 21/2024/TT-BTNMT, the basis for dividing exploration group mines includes:

- Based on the shape, size, and position of rare earth ore bodies, stability in thickness, variation in rare earth content, and geological structure complexity of the mine;

- Based on quantitative indices evaluating the variation in thickness, ore body content, and mining geological conditions to divide exploration group mines;

- Based on the argument, specific evaluation of the main rare earth ore bodies occupying not less than 70% of the mine's reserves. Exploration group mines are proposed in the mineral exploration plan and defined in the mineral exploration results report.

2. Division of rare earth mineral exploration groups in Vietnam from January 06, 2025

The division of exploration group mines is as follows:

- Simple Exploration Group Mines (Group I)

Comprising mines or parts of large mines with simple geological structures, layered, horizontal, or gently sloping ore bodies; simple shape ore bodies, with an ore containing factor from 0.8 to 1.0; stable thickness, thickness variation coefficient per construction not exceeding 40%; uniformly distributed primary useful component content with a variation coefficient per single sample not exceeding 40%.

- Moderately Complex Exploration Group Mines (Group II)

Comprising mines or parts of medium to large mines with relatively complex geological structures, with ore bodies having relatively simple to complex shapes; ore bodies in sheet, lens, column, tube forms; relatively stable to unstable ore body thickness, with a thickness variation coefficient per construction from more than 40% to 70%; primary useful component content distribution from relatively uniform to non-uniform, with a content variation coefficient per single sample from more than 40% to 100% and ore containing factor from 0.7 to 0.8.

- Complex Exploration Group Mines (Group III)

Comprising small to medium-sized mines or parts of them, with complex geological structures having ore bodies in sheet, lens, nodule, column, tube forms; very complex ore body shapes, unstable thickness, thickness variation coefficient per construction from more than 40% to 100%; non-uniform distribution of primary useful and harmful component content, with a content variation coefficient per single sample from more than 100% to 150%; ore containing factor from 0.5 to 0.7.

- Very Complex Exploration Group Mines (Group IV)

Comprising small mines or parts with very complex geological structures with ore bodies of small to very small sizes in vein, lens, column, nodule forms; very complex ore body shapes, very unstable thickness, with a thickness variation coefficient per construction greater than 100%; primary useful component content varying very non-uniformly, with a content variation coefficient per single sample greater than 150%; ore containing factor below 0.5.

(Clause 2, Article 29 of Circular 21/2024/TT-BTNMT)

3. General requirements for rare earth mineral exploration in Vietnam from January 06, 2025

General requirements for rare earth mineral exploration are stipulated in Article 30 of Circular 21/2024/TT-BTNMT as follows:

- Exploration tasks must progress from general to detailed, from surface to depth, with the exploration network ranging from sparse to dense, geological mapping from small to large scales; it must follow the sequential principle of mineral geological investigations.

- Full collection of information, data, geological documents, hydro-geological, engineering geological, environmental geological conditions must be gathered; mining and business conditions must be assessed to support mineral extract investment projects and mine designs; define the most prospective areas and depths for extraction.

- The exploration sequence is structured to match the complexity of geological structures, reserve scale, and mine economic value.

- Conduct exploration over the entire area and depth where ore bodies exist within the selected boundaries of the exploration proposal.

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