A fundamental choice for Critical Minerals development: "Fascism or radical democracy?"

The global demand for critical minerals like lithium and copper is surging, but how we attempt to quickly extract them, argues Katherine Teh , Executive Chairman of Spektrum Development , presents a fundamental choice: embrace authoritarian tactics that disregard communities or pursue transparent, consent-based development. In this pivotal moment, the stakes are high-ranging, from environmental destruction to lost economic potential. Which path should be chosen? Katherine Teh of Spektrum Development addressing the 2024 ACFID Conference WE ARE AT a crossroads in the energy transition. The gap between what the mining industry promises and what it delivers has been widening, creating not only delays but the potential for significant socio-economic and environmental risks. As the demand for critical minerals like copper, graphite, and lithium increases, we’re facing mounting challenges in securing these resources quickly enough to support the transition to renewable energy. The Problem...

Vinacomin wants to trial Red River Delta coal mine

Vietnam's largest mining company wants to begin mining vast coal deposits in the Red River delta, one of the country's most populated agricultural areas.

The Song Hong Energy Company, an affiliate of state-owned mining conglomerate Vinacomin, has applied for permission to launch a pilot mining project in Hung Yen province, some 30 km southeast of Hanoi. "We are just waiting for the permission of the prime minister," Nguyen Thanh Son, a director, told DPA.

The $6.5 million pilot project would mine 1,800 t of coal over a six-month period and, to minimise the environmental impact, would use a technology that gasifies the coal underground.

Although it is not yet clear whether foreign partners will participate in the pilot project. Son said Japan's Marubeni Corporation and Australia's Linc Energy had expressed interest.

Geologists estimate coal deposits in Vietnam's Red River delta at 210 Bt, of which 65 Bt could be exploited. The delta produces roughly 20% of Vietnam's rice.