Bauxite is a source of aluminum oxide, which is transformed into aluminum through a number of different steps. It is necessary to utilize around four to five tonnes of bauxite in order to make one tonne of aluminum. The process by which bauxite is extracted from the ground and aluminum is produced results in massive amounts of toxic waste, known more commonly as “red sludge”. It is usually contained in a body of water, but can easily leak into the water table and affect all growth and vegetation in the area. The red sludge waste to alumina produced ratio is three tonnes to one.
Bauxite Mining
The region of Tay Nguyen (central highlands) in Vietnam is an area where the majority of Vietnam’s cash crops – coffee, tea, and cashew, are produced. The region also draws in many tourists due to its exquisite beauty. Generations of families populate this region, and have been making their living through farming. This region is also situated in a higher altitude, making it easier for the toxic waste to flow from higher regions to areas in lower altitudes, leading to contamination of these water sources during heavy rainfall. Other countries that have carried out bauxite extraction, such as Australia, have allocated remote regions with dry climates to mining in order to reduce the detrimental effects to the environment. However, with a population of 85,344,100, a population density of 259 people per square kilometre, and a constant wet climate, this is not possible for Vietnam. It doesn’t make sense to mine bauxite from this region.
The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, has allowed for bauxite mining to occur in the region of Tay Nguyen (the central highlands) of Vietnam. Around fifteen billion USD is being invested in this mining project. There is always an economic standpoint to consider. It could be thought that the introduction of bauxite mining into this region will increase job opportunities, and improve the economy. However, this is not the case. This mining contract is being made between the Vietnamese government and the Chinese government. The Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd. and the Vietnam Coal and Mining Industry Group made an agreement in which thousands of Chinese workers would be permanently located in the Tay Nguyen region, and would carry out the majority of the mining. There would be limited job opportunities for the citizens in this region. Also, they would also be relocated from their homes in this region in order to clear the perimeter for mining.
There are a number of reasons why this mining project should not be carried out, ranging from the long-lasting detrimental effects to the environment to the mass eviction of citizens from their homes. The mobilization of a number of scientists and bloggers within the country through publishing articles and writing blog entries has shed light on some of these detrimental effects. It may not be enough to stop the government in its tracks, but it’s a start.