The title of the Vietnamese document translates to English in the style of a legal document as: "Riverbed Gravel Exploration Project Must Not Overlap with Other Areas"

Circular 01 stipulates that when conducting exploration work, the following technical requirements must be met:

- All exploration projects must determine coordinates and altitudes according to the National coordinate and altitude system (ensuring there is no overlap with: other exploration areas, prohibited areas, temporarily prohibited areas for exploitation activities in the field).- Depending on the area, the complexity of the mine's terrain, and the purpose of use, the mine's terrain must be surveyed and mapped at a scale of 1:5,000 or larger.- The exploration project must be selected appropriately based on the structure and thickness of the ore bodies, and the terrain features.- The network of exploration works must be designed according to the regulations on exploration network requirements.- Drilling projects (if any) must ensure that the core sample recovery rate from the ore bodies is not less than 70%.- Projects such as wells, trenches, pits, mining pits, and both natural and artificial outcrops in the exploration area must be documented, and cross-sections established according to current regulations and shown on the actual data map.

Additionally, Circular 01 also stipulates requirements for hydrogeological and engineering geological work as follows:

- Regarding hydrogeology: hydrogeological surveying for non-flooded mines must determine the preliminary amount of water inflow into the mine and the ability to dewater the mine area. For flooded mines, the impact of mining activities on river flow must be predicted.- Regarding engineering geology: based on physical and mechanical sample results, areas with similar engineering geological conditions must determine the slope angle of the bench for mining orientation.

For more details, see Circular 01/2016/TT-BTNMT which is effective from March 01, 2016.

-Thao Uyen-

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