♦ PhD. Nguyen Quang Anh

Geographical Location 

The city of Hanoi is located between 20°53′ and 21°23′ North latitude and 105°44′ and 106°02′ East longitude, with a total natural area of[1] 3,359.84 km². Hanoi’s territory extends approximately 91 km from north to south and 77 km from west to east. To the north, it borders Thai Nguyen Province; to the west, Phu Tho Province; to the northeast, Bac Ninh Province; to the southeast, Hung Yen Province; and to the south, Ninh Binh Province.

Hanoi is located in the Red River Delta, with two medium-sized mountain ranges: Soc Mountain to the north and Ba Vi Mountain to the west. The Red River is the main river flowing through Hanoi, running from the northwestern uplands toward the southeast, then curving northward and eastward through the central inner-city area. A section of the Da River, before flowing into the Red River, forms a natural boundary between Hanoi and Phu Tho Province. In several stretches, the Red River also serves as a natural boundary between Hanoi and neighboring provinces, including Phu Tho to the north and Hung Yen to the east.

The Red River Delta is an ancient region with a large population and a rapid pace of urbanization, which has led to the formation of many large urban centers. Among them, Hanoi is a special-class city, serving as the core and the driving force for the development of the entire region. When considered under the Hanoi Capital Region Master Plan, with Hanoi as the central city and the wards and communes of surrounding provinces—Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, and Ninh Binh—as satellite cities, the Hanoi Capital Region can truly be seen as a cluster of cities with outstanding strength in terms of both geopolitical position and geo-economic significance. Hanoi is one “vertex” of the Northern Key Economic Triangle formed by Hanoi – Hai Phong – Quang Ninh, which later developed into the Northern Key Economic Region, comprising the provinces and municipalities of Hanoi, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh.

Natural Resources of Hanoi

Mineral Resources

The mineral resources of Hanoi City are relatively diverse in terms of types. Although there are some metallic minerals, their reserves are limited and generally of little practical value for exploitation. The most abundant resources are construction materials, such as sand, gravel, pebbles, brick and tile clay, limestone, and laterite stone.

Fuel Resources:

Coal: The fuel mineral resources of Hanoi City include coal at the Ninh Son coal occurrence, dating back to the Late Permian period. In general, the coal is of low quality and has limited industrial value. In the past, local residents extracted coal using manual methods; however, coal mining at the Ninh Son site has now ceased.

Peat: Peat in Hanoi City has been discovered in many locations within Quaternary sediments. To date, several peat deposits and occurrences have been identified and evaluated, with a total estimated reserve of over 30 million tons. The largest deposits are located in Ung Hoa, Ba Vi, and Thach That districts.

Metallic Minerals:

The metallic mineral deposits of Hanoi include iron, copper, and gold, all of which are distributed around the Ba Vi mountain area. These deposits are small in scale, have no industrial value, and have ceased operations.

Industrial Minerals:

Pyrite: Pyrite occurs at two mineral deposits, Ba Trai and Minh Quang, and is also associated with copper (Cu) mineralization at Phu Man Plantation and in the Ba Vi area.

Kaolin: Kaolin is a weathering product derived from pegmatite veins and acidic volcanic–sedimentary rocks. All kaolin deposits are small in scale, with good to medium quality, and are used for ceramic production. To date, 12 kaolin deposits and occurrences have been discovered, explored, and evaluated in Hanoi, with typical examples including Ba Trai, Thu Trung, My Khe, Vi Nhue, and Thai Hoc.

Asbestos: Asbestos is distributed around the Ba Vi mountain area. To date, three deposits have been explored and evaluated—Khu Mon (57,000 tons), Khu Quyt (31,944 tons), and Dong Chang (855 tons)—along with one mineral occurrence, Lo Ngo. The total estimated reserves are approximately 76,830 tons.

Geological and Mineral Resources Map of Hanoi City

Construction Materials:

Pebbles and Gravel: This group of minerals includes two relatively small deposits: Ban Hamlet (567,500 m³) and Trung Ha (750,000 m³). Available data indicate that pebbles and gravel can be used in the construction of houses, bridges, and other structures. Pebbles and gravel within the Hanoi Formation are of good quality, with favorable mining conditions and convenient transportation access.

Construction Sand: Small-scale construction sand deposits are found at sites such as Nhat Tan, Phu Dong, and Phu Lo, among others. Construction sand is distributed on the alluvial banks of major rivers, including the Red River, Duong River, and Ca Lo River. The sand resources in these alluvial areas, estimated at about 75 million m³, can meet demand for only a limited number of years. Therefore, sand extraction must be carefully planned and strictly regulated to protect the environment.

Brick and Tile Clay: Brick and tile clay is a fairly common mineral resource within Hanoi City and has the largest distribution area among all mineral types. It is mainly distributed in the northeastern, eastern, and southeastern parts of the city, within lowland plain terrain. To date, five deposits have been surveyed and evaluated, including Son Tay, My Duc, Chuc Son, Da Sy, and Van Dinh. Overall, these deposits are of suitable quality for brick and tile production, primarily serving the construction needs of the Capital.

Pigment powder: Natural yellow pigment powder occurs at the Ninh Son site, Chuong My Ward, with estimated reserves of about 1.3 million tons.

Pozzolan: Pozzolan is an additive used in cement production. At present, the Son Tay pozzolan deposit has been registered with estimated reserves of 27.7 million tons, along with the Thanh Thac mineral occurrence, which has reserves of about 500,000 tons.

Basalt: At present, only two basalt quarries have been registered—Nui Voi and Dong Vo, both located in Phu Cat Commune, with total reserves of over 25.8 million m³. The basalt is of high quality, meeting the standards for high-grade construction stone.

Rhyolite: Rhyolite has been exploited for a long time. Preliminary surveys indicate that the rhyolite belongs to the Tam Dao Formation, with an outcrop extending about 2,000 m in length and several hundred to 1,500 m in width. The rock has good mechanical strength.

There is one limestone deposit and one mineral occurrence for cement production. The My Duc limestone deposit has been evaluated with estimated reserves of about 100 million tons, while the Lang Ry mineral occurrence has reserves of approximately 4 million tons.

Construction limestone is also a potential mineral resource of the city. At present, one limestone quarry, Nui Che, has been registered with estimated reserves of about 59.287 million m³, along with the Mieu Mon construction limestone occurrence, estimated at around 7.2 million m³. In addition to the deposits and occurrences mentioned above, limestone belts in the Phuc Tho – Ha Dong and Thanh Oai – Thuong Tin – My Duc areas have not yet been fully evaluated. Currently, construction limestone is an important source of building materials for the city of Hanoi.

Laterite is quite commonly found on low hill surfaces at the transition zone between the plains and mountainous areas. It is mainly distributed in the northern and northeastern parts of the city, covering parts of the Ba Vi – Son Tay mountainous area and the Phuc Tho – Ha Dong area. Notable deposits include Phuong Hai, with estimated reserves of about 18 million m³, and Thach That, with approximately 15 million m³, among others. This type of stone can be extracted in block form for house construction or used for road surfacing.

Mineral Water:

At present, three mineral water sites have been identified in Hanoi: My Khe (Suoi Hai Commune), Dinh Cong Ward, and Soc Son Commune. Among them, the My Khe deposit has been analyzed and shown to be a sulfate-type mineral water, with high therapeutic value.

(To be continued...)

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[1] According to the 2025 Statistical Yearbook.