The Ministry of Construction (MoC) held a conference on January 12 to announce a plan on exploring, exploiting, processing, and using minerals for construction materials in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050.

The plan was approved by the Prime Minister in December.

Mineral exploitation has helped meet demand for materials for construction and urbanization, the MoC said, but exploitation would have many negative impacts without effective management.

The plan is aimed at sustainably developing the mining industry and meeting demand for construction materials for economic development while mitigating the impact on the environment, it said.

By 2030, total exploration reserves in planned areas are expected to reach more than 3.6 billion tons of limestone and more than 960 million tons of clay.