Requirements for the exploration of marine sand resource in Vietnam from October 15, 2024

Requirements for the exploration of marine sand resource in Vietnam from October 15, 2024 (Image from the internet)

On August 30, 2024, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment issued Circular 14/2024/TT-BTNMT prescribing technical regulations on the exploration and grading of reserves for marine sand.

Requirements for the exploration of marine sand resource in Vietnam from October 15, 2024

Article 6 of Circular 14/2024/TT-BTNMT outlines the requirements for exploration work as follows:

- Adhere to the principle of sequential progress, from general to detailed, from surface to depth, from small-scale mapping to large-scale mapping.

- Collect complete geological data and documents to serve the work of evaluating the quality, quantity, and mining conditions ofs as a basis for research into mining investment projects.

- The collection and establishment of primary documents in marine sand exploration shall be carried out according to the regulations in Circular 43/2016/TT-BTNMT, which prescribes technical regulations on the collection and establishment of primary documents in basic geological investigations of minerals and mineral exploration.

- The tasks of marine sand exploration include:

+ Detailed determination of the geological structure of the, the distribution characteristics, and the shape of the marine sand body; determining lithological, mineral composition, and evaluating the distribution characteristics of minerals in the sand; sampling to determine the grain composition, physical-mechanical properties, and composition of beneficial and harmful materials accompanying the marine sand body;

+ Fully assessing the quality and determining the recovery coefficient of marine sand for its usage field, and the recovery potential of beneficial components in the marine sand (if any);

+ Evaluating hydro-dynamical conditions, factors affecting the marine environment, ecosystem, and geological hazards.

- The exploration work is conducted over the entire exploration area and to the depth of marine sand distribution using a combination of primary methods: geodesy; geology; geophysics; hydro-dynamic monitoring; environmental geology, geological hazard assessment; digital modeling; exploration works; sampling and processing; sample analysis using methods: chemical, physical-mechanical; determining the potential and field of marine sand utilization; technology for the extraction, processing, and washing of marine sand.

- Requirements for exploration works:

+ The selection of the type of exploration works (mechanical drilling, vibrating tube) is based on the depth of water level, geological conditions, construction conditions, and technical specifications of the equipment;

+ The orientation density of exploration works for marine sands and technical construction requirements can be referenced in Appendix 2 issued with Circular 14/2024/TT-BTNMT.

- The sampling rate in exploration works must reach ≥ 75%.

Regulations on the classification of groups of marine sand resource exploration in Vietnam from October 15, 2024

The classification of groups of exploration in Vietnam is regulated in Article 5 of Circular 14/2024/TT-BTNMT as follows:

(1) The classification of exploration groups is based on the shape, size of the sand body, complexity of geological structure of the, seabed topography, variability of thickness and grain composition, geological conditions, mining conditions, and quantitative indices evaluating the variability of other parameters.

(2) Marine sands are classified into 3 groups: simple (group I); relatively complex (group II); complex (group III).

(3) The classification of exploration groups as specified in clause (2) is carried out according to the regulations in Appendix 1 issued with Circular 14/2024/TT-BTNMT.

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