Vietnam: Requirements for level of study and zoning of iron reserve level 111

Vietnam: Requirements for the level of study and zoning of iron reserve level 111 (Illustrative Image)

Article 5 of Circular 33/2010/TT-BTNMT stipulates the requirements for the level of study and zoning of iron reserve level 111 in Vietnam as follows:

1. Level of geological study

- The morphology, dimensions, occurrence, shape variation rules, internal structure of the iron ore body, and the presence of faults displacing the ore must be accurately determined;

- The iron ore body must be accurately divided into natural types and forms with distinct characteristics, clarifying the quantity, distribution area, and size of non-ore or sub-standard rock sections; the spatial positions of each natural type and form of iron ore must be precisely determined;

- The quality of the iron ore must be firmly established and satisfy the specified reserve calculation criteria for each computational block; the technological properties of the ore in the mine must be studied thoroughly enough to determine the natural ore types and industrial (technological) types requiring selective mining and processing. Technological sample testing documents must ensure the collection of sufficient data to design a technological ore processing diagram with the comprehensive recovery of industrially valuable components in the ore;

- Hydrogeological and engineering geological conditions and mine mining conditions must be meticulously studied to accurately calculate the water inflow to mining works; mining technical conditions such as thickness, volume, and physicomechanical properties of ore and overburden rocks must be fully examined; dynamic engineering geological phenomena must be clarified;

- The reliability level of reserves must ensure at least 80%.

2. The zoning of limit to calculate reserve

- The limit to calculate reserve level 111 is zoned within the scope of exploration works intersecting the iron ore body, ensuring that the distance between the works guarantees only one option for delineating the ore body and intercalated rock layers with a work density as specified in the appendix of this Circular.

3. Level of study of investment in mine construction

- A project for mine construction investment has been prepared;

- Preliminary technical and technological solutions for rational iron ore mining and processing have been selected;

- The reserve area does not lie in prohibited or temporarily prohibited mineral activity zones; mining and processing activities within the reserve boundaries have negligible effects on the surrounding ecological environment or solutions for mitigating and minimizing the impact of iron ore mining and processing on the ecological environment have been chosen;

- An option for environmental rehabilitation and restoration post-mine closure has been selected.

4. Degree of economic efficiency

- Investment research results for mine construction have demonstrated the economic efficiency of mining and processing iron ore at the evaluated time.

More details can be found in Circular 33/2010/TT-BTNMT effective from January 28, 2011.

Nguyen Phu

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