What are the geological characteristics of the Central Highlands that may affect the process of bauxite mining?
The Central Highlands bauxite is the remnants of the weathered laterite crust on basalt rock formed in millions of years, which is different from the sedimentary bauxite dispersed in the limestone layers in Ha Giang, Lang Son and southern China. The Central Highlands bauxite is the hard skeleton of the weathered crust, and is an important part of the structure of highland terrain. Whether in the hills or anywhere else, the bauxite is located on high places of the terrain. Huge reserves of bauxite are in Dak Nong province, which is located on the roof of the Central Highlands, where the water just flows away. This means water supplies are limited to production activities that need much water such as bauxite mining and alumina production, and erosion will surely cause intense damage to downstream areas. If the red mud spill catastrophe happens here, red mud will quickly spread to the lower basin and it will be very difficult to control. So underway bauxite mining projects in the Central
