VGP - A center for rare earth research and technology transfer opened in Dan Phuong District, Hanoi, on June 16, based on an agreement signed by the Vietnamese and Japanese Prime Ministers in 2011.
The joint project is of special significance as Vietnam has great potential for exploiting rare earth mines but the industry is in its infancy.
The center is the first facility in Vietnam applying Japanese technology to separate rare earths from ore before they are shipped to Japan.
“We aim to develop the centre into a world leading research establishment,” said Mr. Takahara Ichiro, a senior official from the Japan Agency for Natural Resources and Energy.
The Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Suzuki Hideo, said he was pleased with the center's inauguration and considers it a symbol of Vietnam-Japan cooperation.
“The center will contribute to further improving Vietnam’s industrial infrastructure,” he said.