Boon turns bane: titanium mining in Binh ThuanBinh Thuan Province has reaped enormous economic benefits from titanium mining, but the industry has also damaged the environment badly, degraded the lives of local residents. They’ve just haphazardly planted some trees.”Most of the newly-replanted trees in the mining areas have died, and others have been uprooted.Apart from spoiling the local landscape, titanium mining has also contaminated water sources.More than 30 years ago, when Phu settled down in Long Son-Mui Ne, underground water was plentiful and tasty. The exploitation contaminates water with radioactive substances, said Associate Professor Doan Van Canh, president of Vietnam’s Association of Hydrological Geology.Terrain change caused by titanium mining occurs mostly in open mining areas. The mining must be adjusted towards more practical and effective ways, he said.He said the exploitation must harmonize benefits of the country, the State, community and miners. Now, the province has more than 750sq.m of titanium ore, which means other tourism, renewable resources and hi-tech agriculture projects are suspended because of the overlap, inflicting heavy losses on the province.Local authorities have proposed that a Prime Minister appointed working group adjusts titanium mining plans.

Source: VietNamNet News August 21, 2017 06:33 UTC