Brief history
On 3 October 1945, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No 41/SL abolishing all former offices and institutions under the Government of the French Indochina and placing the General Inspectorate of Minerals and Technology under the Ministry of National Economy. This was the initial day of the geological sector of Vietnam belonging to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam).
Through near 60 years, today the Geological and Mineral Sector of Vietnam has grown up and developed with various historical periods and various names and organizational structures. The history of the Sector can be summarised as follows:
The Geological and Mineral Sector of Vietnam was established in 1945 with the name "General Inspectorate of Minerals and Industry" under the Ministry of National Economy.
1946: The Department of Minerals and Technology under the Ministry of National Economy (after 26 November 1946 the Ministry of National Economy was renamed as the Ministry of Economy.
1955: The Geological Survey and the Mining Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
1957: The Geological Survey under the Ministry of Industry.
1960: The General Department of Geology was established under the Council of Ministers (now the Government).
1987: The General Department of Mines and Geology directly under the Council of Ministers was established on the basis of the General Department of Geology.
1990: The General Department of Mines and Geology was dissolved, the Geological Survey of Vietnam and the State Department for Management of Mineral Resources were established under the Ministry of Heavy Industry.
1996: The Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam was established under the Ministry of Industry by merging the Geological Survey of Vietnam and the State Department for Management of Mineral Resources
2002: After the establishment of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment by Decree No 91/2002/ND-CP dated 11 November 2002 of the Government, the function of State management for geology and minerals was moved from the Ministry of Industry to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Accordingly on 27 December 2002 the Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam was moved from the Ministry of Industry to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
At present, the Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam has 20 subordinate units located all over the country, with 4,500 staff, of which over 1,200 have university and post graduate degrees.
