Nguyễn Linh Ngọc, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (left), and Nguyễn Văn Thuấn, former General Director of the Ministry's Department of Geology and Minerals. — Photo baogiaothong.vn

HÀ NỘI — A former deputy minister has been charged for allegedly granting a mining licence to a company that did not meet the necessary requirements.

Nguyễn Linh Ngọc, former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, was among 27 people facing charges in connection with illegal rare earth mining by Thái Dương Company. 

Ngọc acknowledged knowing Thái Dương did not qualify for a rare earth mining permit but granted it anyway, allowing them to pocket more than VNĐ864 billion (US$34 million). 

Investigations show that Thái Dương was initially granted a licence to explore mineral deposits at Yên Phú Mine in the northern province of Yên Bái in 2009, but failed to obtain a mining permit in 2011.

In 2012, the Prime Minister issued a directive requiring mineral exploitation to be accompanied by deep processing. Thái Dương then submitted a project to develop a rare earth processing complex and sent it for Government review.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade approved and submitted it to the Government, which then tasked The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with reviewing Thái Dương's application for a mining permit.

Although the application was ineligible, because of an expired investment certificate and insufficient capital, officials recommended granting the permit, which was subsequently signed by Ngọc.

Ngọc denied receiving any money from Đoàn Văn Huấn, then Chairman of Thái Dương, in exchange for the illegal permit.

However, another official, Nguyễn Văn Thuận, confessed to receiving VNĐ500 million ($20,000) from Huấn as a 'thank-you gift.'

After obtaining the permit, Thái Dương committed numerous violations, including failing to submit a mine design, failing to build deep processing plants and selling raw ore, instead of refined rare earth minerals.

Investigations also reveal that in 2021, Hồ Đức Hợp, then Director of Yên Bái Province's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, concealed Thái Dương's violations and allowed the company to continue illegal rare earth mining.

Police have pressed charges against Huấn for violating regulations on resource exploration and exploitation, accounting violations and causing environmental pollution.

Ngọc, Thuấn and Hợp have been charged with violating regulations on the management and use of State assets.

The remaining defendants in the case are charged smuggling, consuming illegally obtained assets, causing environmental pollution and accounting violations. — VNS