Villagers wary of M’kiri mine project
An environmental impact assessment released on Friday for a $245 million mining project slated to begin operations in Mondolkiri province next year has raised concerns about its potential effects on the environment and local communities. The project, proposed by the Chinese-owned Alex Corporation, would see a bauxite mine established on the border of the Keo Seima protected area. Ministry of Mines and Energy spokesman Meng Saktheara said on December 19 that if the project were to be approved, the mine’s output would then be moved by either rail or pipeline more than 500 kilometres to a processing plant in Sihanoukville, where a power station may be constructed to provide electricity to the plant. However, Saktheara noted that the project was a long way from receiving government approval, including from the Ministry of Environment, which is currently reviewing the recently completed EIA.
