As Lao Dong reported, Ngoc Linh Company Limited (Ngoc Linh Company) was approved by the People's Committee of Bac Kan province (old) for investment in the project to build a lead-zinc ore mining and processing project in the Phja Dam - Khuoi Man area (Bang Thanh commune) in October 2023.
Although the procedures have not been completed and not been permitted by the authorities, the unit is still brazenly leveling, arbitrarily opening roads, and building a series of works and factories on forest land.
According to the reporter's investigation, the incident originated in April 2025. At that time, Ngoc Linh Company negotiated and bought crop land from local people, then leveled and opened a road leading to Phja Lan hill. By August 2025, the company will level and build factories.
After the inspection, the People's Committee of Bang Thanh commune requested the company to stop all leveling activities and provide complete related documents.
On September 15, Ngoc Linh Company provided some documents to the Bang Thanh commune government. However, the dossier is not complete, there are no decisions approving and granting licenses for each item and content as prescribed such as basic design, techniques, mineral exploitation licensing, construction licensing, land use conversion, etc.
During the inspection on September 28, the Bang Thanh Cooperative Working Group discovered that Ngoc Linh Company Limited had continued to level, clear roads and construct auxiliary works. The authorities then made a record, requiring the company to immediately stop all of the above activities and restore the original state.
The latest conclusion No. 375 of the People's Committee of Bang Thanh commune determined that in the area leading to Phja Lan hill, the leveled road has an average width of 7m and a length of more than 2.9km. The total area of leveling was more than 20,300m2, and many forest products were damaged.
A representative of Ngoc Linh Company admitted that the road leveling was carried out when the land use purpose had not been converted.
The leveling and construction of auxiliary works has a total area of 33,215.5m. Of which, the auxiliary works have an area of over 2,669m2, the leveling area is 30,546m2. This area was previously corn-growing land of the people, and illegal leveling had not been carried out without converting the land use purpose and not yet requested permission from the competent authorities.
Also according to report No. 375 of the People's Committee of Bang Thanh commune, Ngoc Linh Company Limited has signs of violating many acts in many different fields, large violation area, and complicated cases.
After reporting from the locality, the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen province issued Document No. 4877 on management and inspection of compliance with legal regulations of Ngoc Linh Company in the process of implementing the investment project to build lead-zinc ore mining and processing works in the Phja Dam - Khuoi Man area.
Accordingly, the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen province assigned the Provincial Inspectorate to organize an inspection of compliance with legal regulations in the implementation of the project of Ngoc Linh Company. When the inspection process detects signs of a crime, it will be transferred to the investigation agency according to regulations.
At the same time, the People's Committee of Bang Thanh commune is required to strictly manage activities related to the project. Take timely preventive measures or report and recommend strict handling to competent authorities to prevent violations from recurring.
