Masan High-Tech Materials Positions Vietnam as a Rising Force in Critical Minerals

Masan High-Tech Materials (UpCOM: MSR), a Masan Group company and operator of the Nui Phao project, is helping establish Vietnam as an emerging powerhouse in high-tech materials. By combining mining, processing, and advanced manufacturing within a single integrated ecosystem, the company is creating a sustainable, competitive supply chain that supports next-generation technologies and bolsters Vietnam’s role in the global critical minerals landscape.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivers a speech at the G20 Summit on November 23.

G20 Leaders Endorse Strategic Minerals Framework

At the third session of the G20 Summit in South Africa - held under the theme “A Fair and Just Future for All” - world leaders addressed long-term global challenges, including critical minerals, sustainable jobs, and artificial intelligence.

Recent supply disruptions have exposed serious vulnerabilities in global mineral chains. Processing capacity shortages are rippling through advanced manufacturing, while the accelerating energy transition is driving unprecedented demand for key minerals. With supplies concentrated in just a few countries, minerals essential for technology, defense, and clean energy now face heightened risks of scarcity and disruption.

As reported by Business Standard, G20 leaders adopted a new Strategic Minerals Framework to promote international cooperation and ensure critical mineral value chains develop in a sustainable, transparent, and stable way. The framework aims to foster inclusive industrialization, especially in developing nations that have historically gained little from their mineral wealth due to limited investment and technology.

From 2025 to 2027, a core focus will be reducing reliance on single-source suppliers by diversifying mining origins, processing locations, logistics routes, and end markets. Leaders also stressed the importance of in-country processing that meets national economic, environmental, and social standards - a cornerstone of long-term supply-chain resilience.

The Nui Phao polymetallic mine is considered one of the most complex mines in the world, featuring 4-5 product lines from a single ore body.

Vietnam’s Growing Role in the Global Minerals Ecosystem

Vietnam is rapidly emerging as a vital player in meeting global critical mineral demand. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the country ranks sixth worldwide in rare-earth reserves (approximately 3.5 million tonnes) and sits among the top ten for overall mineral resources - a strong foundation for supply diversification and enhanced global resource security.

Tungsten is Vietnam’s standout strategic asset. Designated by the G20 as an essential mineral, tungsten is critical for semiconductors, energy technologies, electronics, aerospace, and ultra-hard materials. The Nui Phao polymetallic mine in Thai Nguyen province, operated by Masan High-Tech Materials, is one of the world’s largest tungsten operations outside China and the fifth-largest producer of fluorspar globally (USGS). The deposit also yields bismuth and copper - both vital for future-facing industries.

Nui Phao project, operated by Masan High-Tech Materials - a member of the Masan Group - is facilitating the development of an integrated and sustainable high-tech materials supply chain in Vietnam.

Nui Phao is regarded as one of the most complex polymetallic ore bodies on the planet, producing four to five mineral streams from a single site. While most mines extract just one or two commodities, Nui Phao simultaneously delivers tungsten, fluorspar, bismuth, and copper - three of which are classified as strategic minerals. This unique diversity has attracted strong interest from Western manufacturers. In the past year, Vietnamese tungsten accounted for roughly 22% of U.S. imports and 8% of Europe’s supply.

As demand for high-tech materials surges and global supplies tighten, Vietnam - powered by projects like Nui Phao - is poised for a major breakthrough, establishing itself as a dependable alternative supplier and cementing its place on the global critical minerals map.