Da Nang - Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued directives for enhanced management of auctions related to mining rights, especially for minerals used as common construction materials. This decision follows the detection of legal violations in recent bidding processes for the mining rights of three sand mines in Hanoi.
According to Vietnam News Agency, in a dispatch sent on November 11 to various ministers and chairpersons of the People's Committees of Hanoi, other centrally-run cities, and provinces, the Prime Minister acknowledged the positive results and revenue generated from public and transparent mining rights auctions conducted by many localities. However, he pointed out abnormal outcomes in the recent auctions for the mining rights of Lien Mac, Chau Son, and Tay Dang - Minh Chau sand mines in Hanoi. The winning bids in these auctions were significantly higher than the starting prices, raising public concerns and potential negative impacts on socio-economic development and the construction material market.
To address these issues, the Prime Minister instructed the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee to immediately review the entire process related to the three sand mines, including surveying, evaluating mine reserves, preparing documents, and organizing auctions. The aim is to detect and handle any violations, prevent price manipulation and market disturbances, and report findings to the Prime Minister by November 20, 2023.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was directed to lead a coordinated effort with the Ministries of Finance, Construction, Justice, and local People's Committees to inspect mining rights auctions, particularly those with unusual bidding patterns. The goal is to identify and rectify legal inadequacies, prevent profiteering, handle violations, and propose solutions to mitigate negative impacts.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with directing local police forces to monitor these activities closely, ensuring prompt detection, prevention, and stringent handling of any legal infringements in mining rights auctions.