Vietnam's northern mountainous region is estimated to have total reserves of 224 million tons of metal minerals, mainly iron ores, according to a local industry agency on Wednesday.

Of the reserves, iron ores account for 213 million tons, titanium (lustrous silver-white metal that exhibits allotropy) 4.8 million tons, mangan (grey metal used in making steel and glass) 3. 2 million tons, lead, zinc, copper and tin the remainders, the National Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy under the Industry Ministry said, noting that most of the mines are located in the seven provinces of Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Ha Giang, Cao Bang and Bac Can.

Vietnam has yet to tap the region's mineral potential due to financial and technological issues, the institute said. The country exploited around 400,000 tons of iron ores in the region each year in the 1995-2003 period. The annual iron ore-exploiting capacity has increased to some 1 million tons in recent years, partly to serve higher import demand of China.

Since 1955, Vietnam has discovered more than 5,000 mines of mineral ores, including those important to industries such as oil, coal, apatite, iron, copper, aluminum, lead and zinc.

Source: Xinhua