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To: ms.smartest.person who wrote (1420)	9/17/2006 4:55:38 PM
From: ms.smartest.person	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3198

Vietnam to start aluminium indus, inviting foreign firms 15 September 2006 Vietnam is expected to issue a major development roadmap for its aluminium industry by the end of this year, paving the way for bauxite mining projects in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, an industry official said Friday. Bauxite is an ore used make to aluminium. "The government will soon issue the roadmap for the aluminium industry to start its big investment projects from 2007," said Director Nguyen Thanh Liem of the Aluminium Department, which is under the Vietnam National Coal & Mineral Industries Group, or Vinacomin. The roadmap will provide details on reserves, mining areas, infrastructure development and foreign investment, Liem told Dow Jones Newswires. Vietnam will start two alumina projects in the Central Highlands region, while Vinacomin will seek international bids to supply technology and equipment, Liem said. Alumina is the raw material used in aluminium production. In the first project valued at $500 million, Vinacomin plans to produce 600,000 metric tons of alumina a year in the Lam Dong province located 250 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City. While in the second project worth $200 million, it plans to produce 300,000 tons of alumina in the Dak Nong province about 600 kilometers north of Ho Chi Minh City. "We are inviting foreign firms to show their interests with us, and (we) will hold tenders in the coming months to select foreign partners for EPC contracts for the two projects, aiming to have alumina for export before 2010," he said. EPC stands for engineering, procurement and construction work. Vietnam plans to export all of its alumina because the country won't have capability to turn it into aluminium in the near future, Liem added. "Aluminium production will require big supply of electricity which we won't have until at least 2015," he said. Vietnam is estimated to have up to 8 billion tons of bauxite ore reserves, of which the Central Highlands region accounts for 4 billion tons, according to Vinacomin figures. Currently, two foreign firms – Aluminium Corp. of China, or Chalco (ACH), and the U.S.'s Alcoa (AA) – have signed deals to launch mining studies in the area. Vinacomin officials said Chalco wants to produce 1.9 million tons of alumina/year and Alcoa wants to produce 1.5 million tons/year, and the two foreign companies will announce their specific plans and investments after Vietnam issues the roadmap. Vietnam's aluminium demand is about 90,000 tons a year, according to Vinacomin. metalsplace.com