Circular No. 12/2013/TT-BTNMT on the submission, receipt, storage, preservation, and provision of geological and mineral data

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the submission, receipt, storage, preservation, and provision of geological and mineral data

provide geological and mineral data

Pursuant to the Law on Minerals No. 60/2010/QH12 dated November 17, 2010;June 2024;Law on Minerals No. 60/2010/QH12 dated November 17, 2010;

Pursuant to the Law on Archives No. 01/2011/QH13 dated November 11, 2011;1/QH13 dated November 11, 2011;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 102/2008/NĐ-CP, September 15, 2008, on the collection, management, exploitation, and utilization of data on natural resources and the environment;

CamendPursuant to Decree No. 21/2013/NĐ-CP dated March 4, 2013 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure13/NĐ-CP dated March 4, 2013 of the Government stipulating functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CP 职责的职能由自然资源与环境部履行；

Considering the proposal of the General Department of Geology and Mineral Resources of Vietnam and the Director of the Legal Department specialized agency under the People's Committee of the province/city.The terms used in this Circular shall be understood as follows:, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CPGeneral Department of Geology and Mineral Resources and Director of the Legal Department;

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment issues this Circular regulating the submission, receipt, storage, preservation, and provision of geological and mineral data.of the Government stipulating functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Home Affairst, minerals,

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates the submission, receipt, storage, preservation, and provision of geological and mineral data.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to agencies, organizations, and individuals submitting, receiving, storing, preserving, and providing geological and mineral data.

Chapter II

SUBMISSION AND RECEIPT OF GEOLOGICAL AND MINERAL DATA

Article 3. Geological and mineral data for submission

1. Reports on the results of basic geological surveys on minerals, reports on the results of mineral exploration (Geological Report);

2. Files for developing strategies, plans; technical standards, norms, quotas, unit prices in basic geological surveys on minerals, mineral activities;

3. Files for programs, projects, proposals, and important national works on geology and minerals;

4. Files for granting mining rights;

5. Files for national mineral resource reserve areas, areas with scattered small minerals; demarcation of areas prohibited or temporarily prohibited from mineral activities; areas with harmful minerals;

6. Statistical results; inventory of national mineral resource reserves.

Article 4. Submission of geological and mineral data

1. Submission of Geological Reports

a) A Geological Report is information about geology and minerals of a research project, basic geological survey project on minerals; mineral exploration that has been approved or recognized as legally valid and informative by the competent authority. A Geological Report includes compiled documents, original documents, and samples (if any).

Compiled documents include: explanations and other compiled documents presented in appendices, maps, illustrative images fully reflecting the implementation results;

Original documents are those collected on-site, including: field diaries, notebooks, various types of maps, diagrams, sketches, photographs, tapes, disks; measurement results;

b) After being approved by the competent authority, the Geological Report must be submitted to the Center for Information and Archive of Geology under the General Department of Geology and Mineral Resources of Vietnam.

Within fifteen days from the date of approval, the organization conducting the basic geological survey on minerals, the organization conducting mineral exploration shall be responsible for submitting the Geological Report to the Center for Information and Archive of Geology.

Quantity to be submitted: two sets of printed documents and one set of electronic archival documents.

The form and format of the submitted Geological Report are specified in Appendix 1 issued together with this Circular.

2. Other geological and mineral data (excluding Geological Reports)

Other geological and mineral data (excluding Geological Reports) as stipulated in Article 2, after being accepted, approved, published, recognized, or passed by the competent authority, must be submitted to the Center for Information and Archive of Geology within fifteen days from the date of acceptance, approval, publication, recognition, or passing.

Quantity to be submitted: one set of printed documents and one set of electronic archival documents.

The form and format of the submitted data are specified in separate regulations for each type.

3. The submission of samples shall be carried out according to separate regulations.

Article 5. Collection of geological and mineral data

1. The Geological Information and Archive Center shall be responsible for receiving and inspecting geological and mineral data submitted.

2. Content of Inspection:

a) Checking the completeness and validity of the submitted data based on the results approved, published, or recognized by the competent authority;

b) Checking the consistency between paper-based and electronic versions of the data;

c) Checking the format and specifications of the submitted data.

3. Within ten working days from the date of receipt of the data, the Geological Information and Archive Center shall complete the inspection and prepare the inspection record, issue the Data Submission Confirmation Certificate to organizations and individuals who have submitted geological and mineral data.

In cases where the submitted data does not meet the requirements as stipulated, the inspection record must clearly state the requirements for correction and improvement. In case of disagreement between the submitter and the receiver, the Geological Information and Archive Center shall report to the competent authority for resolution.

The Data Submission Confirmation Certificate shall be in Form No. 10 of Appendix 1 issued together with this Circular.

Article 6. Responsibilities and authorities of organizations and individuals submitting geological and mineral data

1. Printed materials submitted on paper must be original copies.

2. Organizations and individuals submitting geological and mineral data shall be issued a "Data Submission Confirmation Certificate." This certificate for organizations and individuals submitting geological reports has value in determining the completion of tasks and is one of the conditions for transitioning to the next phase of mineral activities.

Chapter III

STORAGE, PRESERVATION AND PROVISION OF GEOLOGICAL AND MINERAL DATA

ON GEOLOGY AND MINERALS

Article 7. Principles of storage and preservation

1. The Geological Information and Archive Center shall be responsible for storing and preserving geological and mineral data in accordance with the laws on archives; preserving data on natural resources and the environment, and technical regulations, standards, and specifications in the field of geology and minerals.

2. The storage facility must have all necessary equipment and means as prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs for specialized storage facilities.

3. Storage and preservation must meet the requirements of completeness, original condition, safety, and ease of retrieval and use.

Article 8. Statistics and valuation of data

The Geological Information and Archive Center shall be responsible for:

1. Conduct annual inspections, statistics on the quantity and quality of stored and preserved data.

2. Classify data based on their usage value and quality; damaged data must be promptly identified to plan for restoration.

3. Annually reporting to the competent authority on the storage and preservation of geological and mineral data.

Article 9. Restoration and Replication of Data

1. The Geological Information and Archive Center shall be responsible for reviewing and compiling a list of data requiring restoration and replication, submitting it to the competent authority for approval, and implementing the restoration and replication of data in accordance with regulations. The Director of the Vietnam General Department of Geology and Minerals decides on the restoration plan for damaged data during storage.

2. After restoration and replication, the data must ensure accuracy, without distorting the content and form compared to the original state before being stored and preserved.

Article 10. Retention Period for Data Preservation

1. The preservation period for each type of data is established according to current regulations: permanent preservation data, data with a limited preservation period.

2. The Geological Information and Archive Center shall be responsible for statistically identifying types of data that have lost their utility and submitting them to the competent authority for approval to destroy the documents.

Article 11. Provision of Geological and Mineral Data

1. The Geological Information and Archive Center shall be responsible for providing and confirming provided data.

2. The provision of geological and mineral data shall be carried out in accordance with Circular No. 07/2009/TT-BTNMT dated July 10, 2009, of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment detailing the implementation of certain provisions of Government Decree No. 102/2008/NĐ-CP dated September 15, 2008, regarding the collection, management, exploitation, and use of data on natural resources and the environment. Specifically, the form of the request for provision, exploitation, and use of geological and mineral data is specified in Appendix 2 issued together with this Circular.

Article 12. Publication of Basic Geological Survey Information on Minerals

Annually, based on the results of basic surveys and collected data, the Vietnam General Department of Geology and Mineral Resources shall prepare a list and content of basic geological survey information on minerals to be published for the needs of exploitation and utilization by organizations and individuals, submit it to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment for approval, and implement its publication through mass media and the Ministry's electronic information website.

Article 13. Confidentiality Regime for Data

The printing, copying, photographing, transportation, receipt and delivery, transmission, storage, preservation, and provision of geological and mineral data within the scope of state secrets and other activities related to such data must comply with regulations on protecting state secrets.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 14. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from July 22, 2013.

Article 15. Responsibility for Implementation

1. The Director of the Vietnam General Department of Geology and Mineral Resources is responsible for regularly checking the submission, collection, storage, preservation, and provision of geological and mineral data; urging relevant organizations and individuals to submit geological and mineral data to the Geological Information Archive Center.

2. The Minister, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees directly under the Central Government, the Director of the Vietnam General Department of Geology and Mineral Resources, Heads of units under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Directors of Provincial Departments of Natural Resources and Environment directly under the Central Government, and relevant organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular./.