Research the effect of apatite mining exploitation activities on water environment at lao cai apatete mines lao cai province

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY VU THI DIEU LINH TOPIC TITLE: RESEARCH THE EFFECT OF APATITE MINING EXPLOITATION ACTIVITIES ON WATER ENVIRONMENT AT LAO CAI APATITE MINES - LAO CAI PROVINCE BACHELOR THESIS Study Mode: Full –time Major : Environmental Science and Management Faculty : International Training and Development Center Batch : 2010 - 2015 Thai Nguyen, 23/01/2015 i DOCUMENTATION PAGE WITH ABSTRACT Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry Degree Program Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management Student name Vu Thi Dieu Linh Student ID DTN1054110054 Research the effect of apatite mining exploitation activities Thesis Title on water environment at LaoCai apatite mines LaoCai province Supervisor Phan Dinh Binh, Ph.D Abstract: The objective of the study was Assessing the impact of mining activities on the water environment in Apatite mine - Lao Cai province then proposing solution to limit the negative effects of mining work on water environment in Lao Cai province We used different method : Method of comparison, Methods of data processing, Sampling and laboratory analysis, Field work and environmental rapid assessment, Research material to research the negative impacts of the mineral exploitation to soil and water environment surrounding the exploitation area Keys words Exploitation, Apatite ore, water environment, Solution Number of Pages: 59 pages Date of Submission: January 15, 2015 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT To have completed this thesis, in addition to the ongoing efforts of myself, I would like to express my sincere deepest gratitude to Mr Phan Dinh Binh from Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF), who was always interested and enthusiastically impart valuable knowledge to the students during the study period and completing this thesis experiment Finally, I would like to sincerely thank my family, all of my friends who instill interest, motivation and at the same time as giving spiritual help for me complete the tasks assigned during learning and research doing this thesis experiment Student VU THI DIEU LINH iii TABLE OF CONTENT LIST OF TABLES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS PART I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research rationale 1.2 Research’s Objectives 1.3 Research question and hypothesis 1.3.1 The research question 1.3.2 Hypothesis 1.4 Limitation PART II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of natural and socio-economic conditions of LaoCai 2.1.1 Natural conditions and Resources 2.1.2 Resources 2.2 Introduction to apatite reserves and apatite mines in Lao Cai 10 2.3 Overview of mining in Vietnam 10 2.4 The impact of mining activities on water environment 14 2.5 Domestic and international research on the effects of mineral mining on water environment 17 2.5.1 The international research on the effects of mining on the environment and water 17 2.5.2 The domestic study on the impacts of mining to the water environment 19 2.6 The current status of mineral mining and processing in the province of Lao Cai 20 PART III METHODS 22 3.1 Material 22 3.2 Methods 22 3.2.1 Field work and environmental rapid assessment 22 3.2.2 Sampling and laboratory analysis 22 3.2.3 Methods of data processing 24 3.2.4 Method of comparison 24 iv PART IV RESULTS 25 4.1 The situation of exploitation and environmental protection in the minerals mining in Lao Cai province 25 4.1.1 The situation of mining in the Lao Cai province 25 4.1.2 The development of mineral mining and processing in Lao Cai 25 4.1.3 Situation of environmental protection in mineral mining of Lao Cai province 28 4.2 Assessing the impacts of mining activities to the water quality in Lao Cai province 29 4.2.1 Mining site Mo Coc 29 4.2.2 Ngoi Dum mining site 32 4.2.3 Mining site No 10 - Cam Duong 35 4.2.4 Bac Nhac Son Plant area 37 4.2.5 (Un)loading-Consuming Enterprise area 39 4.3 Proposed solutions to reduce water pollution from mining activities in the province of Lao Cai 40 4.3.1 Management solutions 40 4.3.2 Technology solutions 41 PART DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 43 Discussion 43 Conclusion 44 REFERENCES 45 APPENDICES 48 v LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Location of Water Sample 22 Table 3.2 The method to analyze a number of indicators in water 24 Table 4.1 Results on surface water in the mining site 29 Mo Coc in the year of 2014 29 Table 4.2 Results on the end of sedimentation tank near Mo Coc mining site in the year 2014 30 Table 4.3 Results on the operation house at Mo Coc in the year of 2014 31 Table 4.4 Results on surface water in the mining site Ngoi Dum in the year 2014 32 Table 4.5 Results on groundwater in the area of Ngoi Dum mining site in the year of 2014 33 Table 4.6 The quality of groundwater in the Ilmelit Cay Cham mining areas in the year of 2014 34 Table 4.7 Surface water in mining areas No 10 – Cam Duong 35 in the year of 2014 35 Table 4.8 Groundwater in the mining site No 10 – Cam Duong 36 Table 4.9 Results of Dong Ho stream - 200m from transit point of Bac Nhac Son Plant in the year of 2014 37 Table 4.10 Results on wastewater at the end of the sedimentation pond Bac Nhac Son Plant in the year of 2014 38 Table 4.11 Results on (Un)loading-Consuming Enterprise area in the year of 2014 39 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand COD Chemical Oxygen Demand DO Dissolve oxygen US EPA The US Environment Protection Agency MPN Most Probable Number QCVN Quy chuẩn Việt Nam (National Standard) TSS Total Suspended Solid TCVN Tiêu chuẩn Việt Nam (National Standard) TCCP Tiêu chuẩn cho phép (Permissible Standard) UBND Ủy Ban Nhân Dân (People’s Committee) PART I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research rationale In recent years, the economic reforms by the Party and State have been creating favorable conditions for fast, strong and powerful economic development Along with economic development, accordingly environmental problems have occurred with increasing complexity Environmental risk is in alarming condition in the developing countries, where demands for life are increasingly and strongly conflicting with the need to protect natural resources and environment However, because “environment” is a concept with extremely large and complex denotation, it is agreed here that the environment includes such problems as: pollution of air, water, soil and noise Apatite mining activities are of great importance in the industrialization – modernization of the country, but the extraction without overall planning, caring for the environment and landscape have been damaging natural resources: agricultural lands lost and deforestation causing contamination of water sources including surface water, ground water and also seas pollution affecting living organ resources and public health Therefore, the fighting against environmental pollution is an extremely complex problem, requiring everyone to involve in a joined effort; then the minimization of the negative effects of the pollution can be hoped to succeed For that reason, applying the method of Environmental Impact Assessment in order to find out remedying solution have sustainable development for Apatite mines is reasonable The research "Research the effect of apatite mining exploitation activities on water environment at LaoCai apatite mines - LaoCai province" has been selected to be the author’s thematic professional practice 1.2 Research’s Objectives - Assessing the impact of mining activities on the water environment in Apatite mine - LaoCai province - Proposing measures to limit the negative effects of mining work on water environment in LaoCai province 1.3 Research question and hypothesis 1.3.1 The research question - How the mining exploitation activities affect on water environment? What you to reduce water pollution from mining exploitation activities in the LaoCai province? 1.3.2 Hypothesis - The study will give the State management agencies and relating bodies about the environmental status of LaoCai province under the influences of the mining operation It can be the basis for the agencies to take appropriate measures to manage and protect the water environment in the mining areas 1.4 Limitation This is a new problem being studied in a limited time and with unsatisfactory expertise, so shortcomings might not be avoided PART II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of natural and socio-economic conditions of LaoCai 2.1.1 Natural conditions and Resources 2.1.1.1 Geographical location Lao Cai is a mountainous border province in northwest of Vietnam, with geographical coordinates of 21040’- 22050’ north latitude, 103020’ - 104038’ east longitude, bordering Yunnan province of China in the north with a border line length of 203 km, Lai Chau Province in the west, Yen Bai province in the south, and Ha Giang province in the east The total natural area of the province is 6360.76 km2 There are 08 districts and 01 city, 164 administrative units of communes, wards and townships Lao Cai has important geographical location on major transportation routes Con Minh - Hai Phong, the gateway to connect Vietnam with ASEAN countries and the South West of China Therefore Lao Cai has many advantages for economic development, trade, border trade with the neighboring countries, especially China (Ministry of Construction, 2007) 2.1.1.2 Topography Lao Cai has the terrain of uplift tectonic blocks, with the main slope from northwest to southeast; the two main mountain ranges are Hoang Lien Son range Con Voi range along with the northwest – southeast direction, located in the east and west region creating the average lowlands the between two mountain ranges This kind of terrain has given Lao Cai large elevation difference, with Fansipan as the highest point of 3.143m in the Hoang Lien Son range, which is like the roof of Indochina, with the lowest elevation point of 52,2m (above sea General assessment of the impacts of mining activities on the quality of water environment in the province of Lao Cai: -The mines in the province of Lao Cai are mainly of apatite, copper, lead and zinc mining and processing; -The operation of the mines not only generates characterized pollutants such as suspended solids (SS), Zn, Pb, but also emits heavy metals (As, Cd) from rocks into the surrounding environment; -According to the evaluation these contaminants have been affecting the quality of the surrounding land environment of the mines (most of the analyzed indicator exceed the permissible limits); to the water environment, mining wastes have been polluting the surface water which directly receive wastewater from the mines, but not too influential to the large water-body sources (Center for experimental study of mining, 2006) 4.3 Proposed solutions to reduce water pollution from mining activities in Lao Cai province 4.3.1 Management solutions - Strengthening state management of water resources, mineral and the environment; especially promoting the inspection, supervision and pushing for fully and properly the overall plans for land, surface water and groundwater use; sanctioning licenses for wastewater discharge in the mining sites (Viet Nam Government, 2008) - Severely punishing those enterprises who violate regulations in discharging, mining and environmental protection Implementing coercive administrative measures by the law with those enterprises who seriously violate 40 regulations and not voluntarily take remedy actions (Viet Nam Government, 2007) - Composing and issuing the overall plan for the mineral resources mining and production, the overall plan for the protection of water resources in order to facilitate the administrative management (Viet Nam Government, 2005) - Enhancing communication of the law on environmental protection in the mining field (Viet Nam Government, 2008) 4.3.2 Technology solutions - Increasing investment, technological of mineral processing and exploitation innovation to minimize losses of natural resources and environmental pollution (Viet Nam Government, 1993) - Using rolling exploitation operation, where exploitation and environment recovering are conducted at the same time to reduce the cost of land reclamation and environmental restoration (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, 1999) - Rationally planning the spoils, building waterproof spoils and drainage system around the mining sites to ensure quick drainage when it rains (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, 1999) - Creating vegetation carpets, planting livable kinds of plants such as acacia, white eucalyptus on the surface of the sites to minimize erosion, leaching of pollutants into water resources (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, 1999) 41 - Due to the mobility of heavy metals depends heavily on the acidity of the soil, the sourer the soil is, the higher mobility it becomes, more heavy metals move into the source of groundwater Therefore, it needs to frequently add lime to the soil (surface disposal sites and industrial premises) - To eliminate As, Zn and Pb in contaminated soil, it is possible to plant on the surface those plants capable of absorbing metals like ferns, betel grass on the soil contaminated with As, ventiver grass to eliminate Zn, willow and reed on soil contaminated with Pb (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, 1999) - Promoting the application of new technologies in wastewater treatment: using of flocculants in handling of TSS in the coal mine wastewater, using lime and chemical flocculation in treatment of containing heavy metals wastewater, etc (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, 1999) 42 PART V DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Discussion Through the process of implementing the research "Research the effect of apatite mining exploitation activities on water environment at Lao cai apatite mines - Lao cai province", a number of conclusions can be drawn as follows: - The mines in the province of Lao Cai are mainly of apatite, copper, lead and zinc mining and processing The operation of these mines generates pollutants, mainly waste soils and rocks (carrying high concentration of heavy metals like Cd, Zn, Pb, and As) and waste water (carrying high concentration of heavy metals like TSS, Cd, Pb, Zn, As), into the surrounding environment -According to the evaluation these contaminants have been affecting the quality of the surrounding land environment of the mines (most of the analyzed indicator exceed the permissible limits); to the water environment, mining wastes have been polluting the surface water which directly receive wastewater from the mines, but not too influential to the large water-body sources -The management and protection of the environment in the mine was inadequate, the generated waste have not been collected and handled as requirements, therefore affecting the quality of the surrounding environment The research has initially proposed the appropriate measures to reduce environmental pollution problems in mineral mining in the province of Lao Cai 43 5.2 Conclusion To minimize the negative environmental impacts from minerals mining activities in the province of Lao Cai, there can be some Recommendations as follows: - Developing and approving the scheme of environmental protection in minerals mining in the province of Lao Cai; - Conducting regular research, evaluating, updating data in order to have an overall picture of the environment quality, the impact of pollutants in mining in order to fully and comprehensive track the environmental quality and land and water in the mining sites 44 REFERENCES Center for experimental study of mining (2006) Viet Nam Environmental Performance Assessment Report, National publishing house Ly, B S (2010) Protecting Water Resource, Educational Publishing House Ministry of Construction (2007) Circular No 13/2007 / TT-BXD, Guidelines for a number of articles of Decree No 59/2007 / ND-CP of the Government management of solid waste Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2006) Circular No 08/2006/TT_BTNMT, Guidelines on environmental impact assessment strategies, environmental impact assessment and Commitment to Environmental Protection Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2006) Circular No 12/2006/TT-BTNMT, Guide the practice conditions, procedures for compilation of dossiers, registration and licensing of practice and hazardous waste management identification numbers Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2006) Decision No 22/2006 / QD-BTNMT, Guide Environment of the mandatory application of standards on environmental Vietnam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2006) Decision No 23/2006 / QD-BTNMT, Issued the list of hazardous waste Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (1987) Guidelines for environmental monitoring system of global environmental monitoring (GEMS) 45 Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (1999) Joint circular No 126/1999/TTLT-BTC-BCN- BKHCNMT, The toward the margin to restore the environment in mineral exploitation The National Assembly of Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2005) The Law on Environmental Protection, National Political Publishing House Viet Nam Government (1993) Guidelines for rapid assessment methods for environmental pollution caused by the world health organization (WHO) Viet Nam Government (2005) Decree 160/2005 / ND-CP, Mineral Law and the Law of Guiding the implementation amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Minerals Viet Nam Government (2005) The Law No 46/2005 / QH1, Mineral Law of the amendment of some articles on Mineral Law Viet Nam Government (2006) Decree No 140/2006 / ND-CP, Regulations on environmental protection in the process of making, evaluating and approving and implementing the strategy, planning, program planning and development projects Viet Nam Government (2007) Decree No 59/2007 / ND-CP, Management of solid waste Viet Nam Government (2008) Decree No 63/2008 / ND-CP, Environmental protection costs for exploitation of mineral Viet Nam Government (2008) Decree No 80/2006 / ND-CP, The detailed regulations and guidelines for implementation of some articles of the Environmental Protection Law 46 Viet Nam Government (2008), Decree No 63/2008/ND-CP, Environmental protection charges for mineral exploitation Ve, N., B & Tai, N., H (2006) Methods of scientific research, Labor Publishing House 47 APPENDICES Appendix 2.1 Resources and reserves explored and forecasted up to 31/12/2011 Resources, Reserves (thousand tons) Ore types Total Forecast TN (TL+TN) (334a+334b) 9,440 49,940 5,790 55,730 189,450 54,980 244,430 19,820 264,250 QII 137,490 106,480 243,970 579,780 823,750 QIV 158,560 142,360 300,920 1,177,580 1,478,500 Total 526,000 313,260 839,260 1,782,970 2,622,230 Reserves TN 333 QI 40,500 QIII Total Appendix 2.2 Resources of the rest apatite ores ± m or more QI (KS5) No Mine site name Thousa nd / ton Ngoi Dum Dong Ho P2O5 (%) 339 34 QII (KS5) Thousa nd / ton P2O5 (%) QIII (KS4-6-7) Thousa nd / ton P2O5 (%) QIV (KS4-67) Thousa nd / ton P2O5 Total (%) 22,491 20.91 3,673 14.13 17,190 12.21 43,693 Lang Tac 349 38.6 2,243 22.23 6,425 14.67 Lang Mon 2,191 34.1 5,339 22.39 36,855 13.60 5,790 11.74 50,175 Cam Duong 414 37.6 3,563 28.20 15.96 4,778 166 37.2 4,910 26.28 4,747 14.88 9,823 9,556 28.36 16.76 10,517 6,314 28.71 6,308 14.57 14,277 11,703 27.81 14.82 12,233 Cam Duong 23 Mo Coccanh Mo Coccanh 1,655 13 36.4 38 801 961 517 9,017 Lang Coc Lang Cang 6,034 26.18 1,103 14.88 7,137 10 Lang Cang 7,808 25,86 5,048 15,07 12,856 48 112,07 11 Mo Coc (1-2) 10.35 112,070 12 Bac Nhac Son 12,680 35.9 31,400 22.89 44,208 16.44 25,563 10.18 113,851 13 14 Lang Cang Lang Cang Lang Mo 499 35.6 3,509 26.04 5,066 14.50 18,397 10.99 27,471 802 34.7 2,853 24.67 5,769 14.59 9,100 10.51 18,524 9,169 30.8 8,248 18.88 37,522 15.18 15,050 11.4 PhuNhuan, 15 Tam Đinh - 69,989 Lang Phung 16 17 18 Sub-Total 28,277 34.1 125,97 Stored (ore 203,16 33,424 14.40 type III) Total 24.16 159,003 14.94 28,277 34.1 125,97 24.16 192,427 14.94 10.74 516,411 33,424 203,16 10.74 549,835 49 Appendix 2.3 List of exploitation projects till 2030 Name of No exploration areas/projects Complete Exploration targets By year 2020 2021 - 2030 Total: 27 million tons Bac Nhac Son areas 24, 25, 26 Ore type I: million tons Ore type II: 10 million tons Ore type III: million tons 27 million tons - Ore type IV: million tons Total: 34 million tons Bac Nhac Son areas 27, 28, 29 Ore type I: million tons Ore type II: 10 million tons - 34 Ore type III: 14 million tons Ore type IV: million tons Ore type II, Ore type IV exploration Central areas (Ngoi Dum - Lang Total: 163 million tons Ore type II: 74 million tons Ore type IV: 89 million tons 122 million 41 million tons tons Tac) to -500 m Exploration areas Bat Xat - Lung Po Total 100 million 100 million tons all types 324 million tons tons 149 175 50 Appendix 2.4 List of mining projects till 2030 Mining No Names of Mines/Mining sites capacity (Thousand tons raw ores/year) Notes By year 2020 2021 - 2030 23 (Bac Nhac Son) 420 330 New investment 24 (Bac Nhac Son) 230 90 New investment 25 (Bac Nhac Son) 300 - 600 600 - 900 New investment 26 (Bac Nhac Son) - 700 New investment 19 (Lang Mon) 1.440 1.350 New investment - 1.900 Expanded 18 (Lang Mon) 370 - New investment 1,430 1,430 Expanded Cluster 14, 15a, 15b (NgoiDum - Lang Tac) 13 (Ngoi Dum - Lang Tac) - 1,024 Expanded 30 (Ngoi Dum - Lang Tac) - 450 New investment 10 Cluster Mo Coc 4,000 3,850 Expanded 11 10 (Cam Duong 1) 100 100 Expanded 12 (Cam Duong 2) 675 50 Expanded 13 35 - 36 (Lang Cang - Lang Mo) 450 14 38 - 39 -40 (PhuNhuan) 500 New investment 500 New investment 15 Cụm 42 - 1, 42 - (Tam Dinh) - 1,250 New investment 16 44, 45 - 1, 45 - (Lang Phung) 1,075 1,075 New investment 51 Appendix 2.5 List of apatite projects till 2030 Capacity No Factory Name (Thousand tons of ore Ore quality crystal / year) By year 2020 Notes 2021 - 2030 Renovation expansion of Expansion of Plant Plant Bac Nhac Son Bac Nhac Son 1 (cooperation) / (cooperation) / new investment new investment and on Plant Bac Nhac ≥32% P2O5 650 - 700 650 - 700 Son 2, capacity of on Plant Bac NhacSon 2, capacity of 300 - 300 - 350 thousand 350 thousand tons/year tons/year in case of no cooperation presence New construction of Plant Lang ≥32% P2O5 250 250 New Investment 800 New Investment Phung III New construction of Plant Dong Ho ≥32% P2O5 800 II 52 Appendix 2.6 Overall plan for Apatite ores (Issued together with Decision No 1893/QD-TTg dated October 20, 2014 by the Prime Minister) Quantity No raw ores Name of plants/designed Mine/Mining (thousand tons/year) Quality capacity By (% P2O5) site year 2020 I of 2021 - 2030 The overall plan to supply apatite ores for the refining plants Expansion of Plant 23, 24, 25, 26; Bac Nhac Son to 650 - 20- 22; 19 and 700 thousand tons/year or 18 new investment on Plant Bac Nhac Son 2, 2,450 2,450 ≥ 14% 3,570 3,570 ≥ 14% 875 875 ≥ 14% 1,600 1,600 ≥ 23% capacity of 300 - 350 thousand tons/year 14, 15a, 15b; 13 30; cluster Mo Coc (1+2, 32, Plant Tang Loong; Cam Lang Cang 1, 2); Duong 10 (CĐ 1); (CĐ 2); 35 - 36; 38, 39, 40; Storage QIII Plant Lang Phung 42-1,42-2, 44, 45- 1, 45-2 14, 15a, 15b; 13; Plant QII Dong Ho Mo Coc (1+2, 32, Lang Cang 1, 2) II The overall plan to supply refined ores for chemicals/fertilizers production plants Plant of superphosphate + QI raw ore, + QI: 420 + QI: 420 ≥ 32% 53 production: + Refined ore II + QII: 360 Plant Lam Thao; Plant Dong Ho + QII: 360 Plant Long Thanh and Plant Lao Cai Plant of phosphate QII raw ore from QII raw: production: mining sites QII raw: ≥23% 1,180- 1,480 1.180 – 1,480 Plant Van Dien; Plant NinhBinh; Plant Lam Thao; Plant Lao Cai and Plant Tien Nong - QIII from Plant + Plant of DAP production: Plant Dinh Vu (1) Plant Lao Cai (2) Plant No QIII: + QIII: 1,720 ≥ 32% Tang Loong, 1,162- 1,720 + QII: 22 Cam Duong, + QII:22 Bac Nhac Son, Lang Phung - QII refined from Plant Dong Ho - Refined QII, + QIII: 250- + QIII: 250 QII ores from 355 ≥ 32% + QII: 389 Phosphoric H3PO4 Acid Plant Dong Ho + QII: 389 production - Refined QIII from Plant Tan Loong Yellow P4production phosphorus QI, II raw ores + from sites QII NK: + mining 640 + QII: 480 QII raw: ≥ 23% 640 + refined ≥ 32% QII: 480 54 ... solution have sustainable development for Apatite mines is reasonable The research "Research the effect of apatite mining exploitation activities on water environment at LaoCai apatite mines - LaoCai... CONCLUSION 5.1 Discussion Through the process of implementing the research "Research the effect of apatite mining exploitation activities on water environment at Lao cai apatite mines - Lao cai province" ,... quality of water environment in the province of Lao Cai: -The mines in the province of Lao Cai are mainly of apatite, copper, lead and zinc mining and processing; -The operation of the mines not only