Lam Dong Aluminum and pressure on traffic infrastructure

a DJI_0087 — Tan Rai Alumina is one of two alumina complexes invested by TKV in Lam Dong.

Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) has invested in two bauxite mining and alumina production projects in Lam Dong. The Tan Rai alumina complex has been in operation since October 2013 and the Nhan Co alumina complex has been in operation since July 2017.

Both complexes have a capacity of 650,000 tons per year. By the end of 2024, the two factories will have contributed more than VND10,300 billion to the budget, of which VND1,089 billion will be in 2024 alone. In addition, these projects are creating jobs for nearly 2,400 local workers and supporting social security with more than VND500 billion.

All processed alumina products are for export. Goods are transported by trucks from 2 factories to Go Dau Port ( Dong Nai ). In the opposite direction, trucks carry coal from the port to serve production. Each factory carries out nearly 23,000 round-trips each year, equivalent to 62 trucks per day.

From Tan Rai, goods are transported to the port via provincial road 725 - national road 20 - DT769 - national road 51, about 195 km long. From Nhan Co, the route is Ho Chi Minh road - DT741 - national road 51 with a distance of about 240 km. Heavy trucks often go through steep, narrow mountain passes and residential areas, not only causing congestion but also posing potential traffic safety risks.

According to the plan, by 2030, TKV will increase the capacity of each Tan Rai and Nhan Co complex to 2 million tons. At the same time, the group plans to invest in an additional bauxite - aluminum - aluminum complex with a capacity of 2 million tons of aluminum/year and 2 aluminum electrolysis plants, each with a capacity of 0.5 million tons/year. At that time, TKV's output in Lam Dong can reach 6 million tons of aluminum and 1 million tons of aluminum per year. Transportation demand will increase 6 times compared to present, putting heavy pressure on the already overloaded transportation system.

The demand for transporting aluminum and goods at the two bauxite complexes in Lam Dong is very large.

Not only TKV, many domestic corporations have also submitted applications to invest in bauxite mining and processing in Lam Dong with large total registered capital. According to the central planning, the western part of the province alone will build 4 more bauxite mining and processing factories with a minimum investment capital of 1 billion USD/project. This is a great opportunity for Lam Dong to develop, but at the same time, it also creates unprecedented pressure on infrastructure.

Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee Le Trong Yen said that the province's transportation network is currently limited, especially along the East-West axis. Aluminum transportation currently relies only on roads, becoming a major bottleneck for socio-economic development and the expansion of projects along the aluminum value chain.

Currently, the Lien Khuong - Bao Loc - Tan Phu and Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh Expressway projects are being implemented in the province. This is expected to create an important driving force for the socio-economy in general and transportation in particular. However, Lam Dong has determined that relying on roads alone is not enough.

To reduce the pressure, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee proposed to soon invest in railway lines along the Central Highlands connecting to Dong Nai port and Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, the province also proposed to supplement the planning of internal railway lines along the East-West axis, serving the transportation of aluminum in particular and goods in general. This is considered a strategic solution, ensuring sustainable and synchronous development between the mining industry and local transport infrastructure.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/alumin-lam-dong-va-ap-luc-ha-tang-giao-thong-392547.html