Extractive industries
Minerals and mineral products
Pollution from copper mining in Northern Laos destroying local livelihoods
A company operating a copper mine in northern Laos’ Oudomxay province is polluting the local environment and destroying the livelihoods of residents, according to villagers, who have called for officials to investigate the firm. A resident of Sawang village, in Oudomxay’s Namo district, told RFA’s Lao ...
Chinese rare earth metals exchange to pay $6.4bn owed to investors
Hundreds of Chinese investors protested outside of the Fanya Metal Exchange, in the south of the country, after finding that the minor rare earth metals exchange was unable pay out on investment products. Keep reading ...
Udon Thani locals up in arms over potash mine
Hearts of many locals in Udon Thani’s Prachaksinlapakhom district are heavy because of a pending project to launch mining operations in their hometown area. They are worried about possible pollution and adverse impacts on their health. “To tell the truth, I don’t believe in the environmental impact assessment [EIA],” ...
Gold diggers: Thai gold mine causes environmental and health problems
A major Geographical investigation looks at the devastating environmental and debilitating health effects a Thai gold mine is having on a village in Loei, and at how a group of determined villagers are fighting back This idyllic valley is the stage for the violent suppression of popular protests in the ...
DMR hosts the 3rd Thai - Lao technical conference on geology and mineral resources
Thailand is hosting the 3rd Thai – Lao Technical conference on Geology and Mineral Resources, which is being held at the Golden Tulip Sovereign Hotel, Bangkok, 7-11 July. Thailand and Lao PDR have been working together on geology and mineral resources study for over 12 years. ...
Expert calls for improved mining practices in Mekong, beyond
The mineral resources of Southeast Asia’s emerging economies are plentiful, but mine management practices may make all the difference in maximizing returns for operators, host nations and local communities alike. That is the message taken to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos this week by mining engineer and ...
Indian miner sets 2016 target for extraction of gold in Cambodia's R’kiri
Indian mining firm Mesco Gold will begin mining a gold field in Cambodia’s northeastern Ratanikiri province by early 2016, according to a company statement released yesterday. If it begins extracting successfully, Mesco Gold, which is owned by the Indian company Mesco Steel, would effectively become Cambodia’s ...
Cambodia mine on track for 2016 start-up
India’s Mesco Gold (Cambodia) presented to the Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy that its Phum Syarung underground mine, in the northeastern province of Ratanakiri will start with initial capacity of 500 tons per day with a recovery rate of 85%. Angkor Gold discovered the epithermal gold deposit ...
Australian-controlled Thai gold mine faces accusations of polluting water supply
An Australian-controlled gold mine in central Thailand is facing fresh accusations of polluting local water supplies with villagers demanding a new investigation into the mine’s operations. The Akara (Chatree) mine is controlled by Sydney-based Kingsgate Consolidated limited and located 280km north of Bangkok. The accusations follow earlier charges ...
Volumes up, returns down as Laos' mining figures confirm impact of global commodity prices
The hit to the value of Laos’ mineral commodity exports inflicted by lower international prices have been confirmed by figures showing an 8.7 percent decrease in returns despite increasing production, local media has reported. Falling prices for gold, potash and copper inflicted the greatest downward pressure ...
