Company news

Continuing their working programme in the Lao PDR, on the morning of 6th August, Mr. Phùng Quang Hiệp, Party Secretary and Chairman of the Members’ Council of Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem), together with his delegation, met with Mr. Linkham Douangsavanh, Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Laos. The meeting aimed to report on the progress of the potash mining and processing project in Nongbok district, Khammouane province, and to discuss matters relating to environmental protection and project implementation.

At the meeting, Vinachem’s leadership expressed appreciation to the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Department of Environment, and the relevant authorities for their continued support, cooperation, and facilitation throughout the project. This economic cooperation project is of significant importance to both Vietnam and Laos, contributing to the effective utilisation of Laos’ potash resources, promoting local economic development, and strengthening comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Reporting to the Minister, Vinachem’s leaders stated that the Group is actively carrying out tasks according to the scheduled roadmap. The revised Feasibility Study (FS) report has been completed and supplemented based on the results of the appraisal; the transportation of materials and equipment for the project is underway; and various site preparations are being implemented in readiness for the construction phase once all regulatory procedures are finalised.

Regarding environmental matters, Vinachem confirmed that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the project has been completed by the consulting unit and submitted to the Lao authorities. The Department of Environment under the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has now appointed independent experts to appraise the dossier. Upon completion of the appraisal, Vinachem will continue to coordinate with the consulting unit to finalise the report and proceed with the next steps as required for approval.

At the meeting, Vinachem expressed its hope that the Minister would continue to direct the specialist units to closely coordinate in the appraisal and approval process for the EIA report. This is a crucial procedure for the project to fulfil legal requirements, enabling subsequent phases to proceed in accordance with the plan.

Minister Linkham Douangsavanh acknowledged Vinachem’s efforts during the preparation and implementation stages and highly appreciated the collaboration between the Group and Lao ministries, departments, and localities. He affirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment would continue to direct its relevant units to cooperate and consider matters within their authority in accordance with the law, helping to accelerate progress on the project.

The potash mining and processing project in Nongbok district, Khammouane province is one of the key economic cooperation projects between Vietnam and Laos. Once operational, it will contribute to the effective exploitation of Laos’ potash resources, create jobs for local workers, support the socio-economic development of Khammouane province, and provide a stable raw material supply for the fertiliser industry, thereby enhancing economic cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.