Rare earth centre opens
HA NOI — The nation's first rare earth research and technology transfer centre opened in Dan Phuong District, Ha Noi on Saturday.
It will train Vietnamese workers in processing the ore, which exists in large amounts in Viet Nam before it is exported to Japan.
The centre was established following an agreement between Viet Nam and Japan. It was signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda last October.
Under the framework of the agreement, the two countries will promote the rare-earth industry through collaboration in training Vietnamese in technology transfer relating to selecting rare earth, refining and applying it in Viet Nam.
Equipment for research and development was funded by Japan while Viet Nam took care of construction costs.
The centre will carry out extraction and separation of rare earth from ore and then ship it to Japan.
According to the Vietnamese Department of Geology and Minerals, Viet Nam has one of the world's largest rare earth reserves. The minerals are mainly found in the north-west.
However, mining is still in its infancy. — VNS