Australia’s largest private investment in Vietnam, Blackstone Minerals, on April 13 signed a joint statement with Son La, committing to sustainable mining and deepening its investment in nickel mining projects in the northern mountainous province.

The signing ceremony saw the participation of Australia’s Ambassador Robyn Mudie.

Blackstone Minerals has made significant investments in Vietnam and Son La, with the total invested capital reaching $12.6 million.

The firm’s projects in Son La have created more than 300 new local jobs and provided vocational training for highly skilled workers, as well as technology transfer to Son La’s geophysical division on modern methods in electromagnetic ground surveys.

After the signing ceremony, the ambassador visited Blackstone Minerals’ nickel mine in Ban Phuc, where Blackstone is applying Australia’s modern extraction technologies and quality control processes with high safety and good environmental stewardship.

Australia has a deep and broad economic partnership with Vietnam. In 2021, Australia’s Prime Minister Hon Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh launched the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy to deepen two-way trade and investment ties and contribute to both countries’ economic recovery. One of the key pillars of this strategy is intensifying cooperation on energy and minerals.

Source: vir.