An Overview of Metallurgical Factories in Vietnam

The metallurgy industry is a cornerstone of Vietnam’s industrialization and modernization, providing a solid foundation for national development. This field involves producing metals and alloys from ore and other raw materials, supplying critical inputs for numerous key economic sectors.

In Vietnam, the growth of the metallurgy sector is intrinsically linked to the expansion of construction, mechanical engineering, automotive, shipbuilding, and energy industries. Each metallurgical factory not only helps meet domestic demand and reduce import dependency but also creates tens of thousands of jobs, driving socio-economic progress in local communities. The industry’s significance grows as Vietnam deepens its integration into the global supply chain.

A List of Typical Metallurgical Factories in Vietnam

Vietnam is home to many metallurgical factories of varying scales and technologies, spanning the country from North to South. These facilities specialize in producing different types of metals. Below are some notable examples that have made significant contributions to the economy.

Thang Long Metallurgical Plant (Binh Phuoc)

• Location: Minh Hung – Korea Industrial Park, Chon Thanh district, Binh Phuoc province.
• Scale and Technology: This is a pioneering non-ferrous metallurgical factory in Vietnam that applies a circular economy model and green technology. The factory focuses on recycling and smelting lead from used batteries. Its modern, closed-loop production process recovers metal while effectively treating hazardous waste, minimizing environmental impact.
• Products and Applications: Its main products are high-quality lead ingots and lead alloys, primarily serving domestic and export markets for battery manufacturing. This factory’s operation exemplifies the nation’s commitment to sustainable industrial development.

Lao Cai Copper Smelter (TKV Group)

• Location: Tang Loong Industrial Park, Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province. The factory is strategically located near the Sin Quyen Copper Mine, which has the largest copper reserves in Southeast Asia.
• Parent Company: Vietnam National Coal – Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (TKV).
• Scale and Technology: The Lao Cai Copper Smelter is a national key project with a designed capacity of 10,000 to 30,000 tons of copper cathodes per year. This metallurgical factory uses advanced pyrometallurgy and electrolysis technologies from Finland, producing 99.99% pure copper plates that meet London Metal Exchange (LME) standards.
• Diverse Products: Besides copper, the smelting process yields other valuable products, including gold, silver, sulfuric acid (for fertilizer production), and synthetic gypsum.

Thai Nguyen Steel Complex TISCO

• Key Enterprise: Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Joint Stock Corporation (TISCO) is considered the “cradle” of Vietnam’s metallurgical industry.
• Production Characteristics: With a long history of development, TISCO operates an integrated, closed-loop iron and steel production complex, spanning from iron ore mining to iron smelting, steelmaking, and steel rolling. Its modern metallurgical production lines enable the production of a diverse range of products, including construction steel and structural steel, meeting the market’s strict standards. TISCO is not only an economic symbol but also a crucial part of the nation’s industrial development history.

DaiDung Group – A Pioneer in Steel Structures, Participating in Major Metallurgy Projects

Besides the direct producers, the success of metallurgical plants and heavy industry projects is indispensable without the contribution of mechanical engineering and steel structure enterprises. In this field, DaiDung Group is a pioneering contractor with capabilities and experience proven through numerous international-scale projects.

DaiDung Group has the full capacity and experience to provide products and services for metallurgical plants and projects related to heavy industry, including ore mining and iron and steel production.

Typical projects DaiDung Group has participated in for the steel structure category, contributing to completing technical solutions and ensuring construction progress related to metallurgy and heavy industry:

Manyar Smelter Ore Manufacture (Indonesia) 

The Manyar Smelter is a global-scale heavy industry project that not only affirms Indonesia’s position in the world’s mineral supply chain but also stands as a symbol of the modern metallurgy industry. With a total investment of up to 3 billion USD and an impressive production scale, this project is expected to create profound economic impacts.

The plant will process copper ore mined from the Grasberg mine (Papua, Indonesia) – the world’s largest gold mine and second-largest copper mine, operated by Freeport-McMoRan. Instead of exporting raw ore, Indonesia will produce high-purity copper cathodes to directly supply high-tech industries.

Fertiliser Manufacture (Canada)

The Canadian Mining Plant is a large-scale mining project in Canada for the client Thyssenkrupp. DDC Group, with its advanced technological solutions, meets the harsh conditions required for the execution and installation of these systems, demanding international quality standards and implementation capabilities, thereby affirming DaiDung Group’s technological standing.

Niken Factory Cao Bang Province 

The Niken Factory is a large-scale mineral mining and processing project in Quang Trung commune, Hoa An district, Cao Bang province, invested by Tan Phat Mineral Joint Stock Company (a member of PC1 Group).

Total Ore Reserves: Approximately 7.5–14 million tons, it is the third-largest nickel-copper mine in Vietnam. The plant produces nickel concentrate (~60%) and copper concentrate (~40%), serving both export markets and the strategic material supply chain for domestic industries.

Hoa Phat Steel Manufacture

DaiDung Group was the steel structure supplier for this large-scale project in Quang Ngai, with a volume of up to 60,000 tons. This is a prime example of DDC Group’s capabilities in the metallurgy and iron and steel production sector, including items like the Coal Storage facility – 170M, which has the largest span in Southeast Asia.

Furthermore, DaiDung Group has specialized capabilities at its factories to serve the heavy industry sector:

• Nghi Son High-Tech Mechanical Factory: This factory specializes in manufacturing mechanical products for various fields, including heavy industry mining.
• Vung Tau High-Tech Mechanical Factory: This plant produces products and mechanical equipment for heavy industry plants.
• Central Region Factory: Produces super-sized and super-heavy products with a modern equipment system.

DaiDung Group not only focuses on product quality but also emphasizes sustainable solutions. DDC Group pioneers the development of steel structure solutions that help reduce carbon emissions, optimize the use of recycled materials, and save resources, thereby promoting Vietnam’s metallurgy and heavy industry towards a circular economy model.

Conclusion

Metallurgical factories are crucial to a nation’s industrial development, forming the bedrock of modern manufacturing and supply chains. By mastering technology and meeting global standards, the metallurgy sector provides essential materials for key industries, drives technological transfer, and boosts national competitiveness on the world stage.

With its extensive experience and superior capabilities, Dai Dung Group continues to solidify its pioneering role in Vietnam’s mechanical and steel structure sector. By participating in major metallurgical projects at home and abroad, Dai Dung Group has become an indispensable part of the heavy industry value chain, helping to elevate the national metallurgy industry and establish a Vietnamese corporate footprint on the global industrial map.