Hanoi approves rare earth oxide pilot project in Hoa Lac

The Hanoi People's Committee has authorized a controlled pilot project to produce rare earth oxides with a purity level exceeding 95% at a semi-industrial scale. The project is being conducted by the Mining Construction and Technology Consulting Joint Stock Company at a 1,000 square meter facility within the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park.

The 18-month trial will utilize up to 100 tons of raw rare earth ore sourced legally from the Dong Pao mine in Lai Chau province. The process involves two main stages: flotation for ore enrichment and hydrometallurgy for oxide production. During this testing phase, products are restricted to analysis, inspection, and technological refinement and cannot be commercialized.

The project operates under a regulatory sandbox mechanism. While certain standard procedures for large-scale commercial plants are temporarily waived, the facility is subject to rigorous oversight regarding technical, environmental, chemical, radiation, and labor safety standards. Monitoring includes continuous camera feeds to regulatory authorities and evaluation based on 33 specific KPIs. The results aim to provide a scientific database to help authorities establish technical standards and economic-technical norms for the industry.