Extractive Industries
Mining
Fresh sand controversy
Cambodia exported more than 108,000 tonnes of sand to India in 36 separate shipments between 2013 and 2015, according to Indian customs data obtained yesterday, contradicting Cambodian customs data that show no sand being sent there at all. ...
Alex Willemyns and Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fresh-sand-controversy
Pheapimex ties ‘cause for concern’
Alex Corporation, the firm behind a proposal for an ambitious Mondulkiri mining project, appears to be ultimately owned by ruling party Senator Lao Meng Khin and his wife, Choeung Sopheap, the Post has discovered, a scenario rights groups say should give cause for concern. ...
Jack Davies
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pheapimex-ties-cause-concern
Dredging plans raise concerns in K Cham
Kampong Cham authorities met with concerned villagers on Friday over a proposed sand-dredging project that some fear could lead to the collapse of their riverbank. More than 220 families living on the riverbank in Tamieng village thumbprinted a petition delivered to provincial authorities requesting that ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/dredging-plans-raise-concerns-k-cham
Assembly wants answers from mines minister
The National Assembly’s anti-corruption commission has asked Suy Sem, the minister of mines and energy, to appear for questioning on December 15, as villagers in Koh Kong province cast doubt on government claims that it had temporarily banned sand mining there. Mr. Sem will answer questions ...
Ben Paviour and Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/assembly-wants-answers-mines-minister-121744/
Ministry to be grilled on sand exports
The National Assembly’s anti-corruption commission will summon Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem to answer questions about an apparent $700 million discrepancy in sand exports to Singapore. ...
Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-be-grilled-sand-exports
Calls to cooperate in sand export data
Civil society members and Ministry of Mines and Energy officials came together recently to discuss discrepancies in the export figures of sand from Cambodia to Singapore, after 47 NGOs wrote an open letter early this month to the ministry seeking an explanation. The letter from civil ...
Ven Rathavong and Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/32210/calls-to-cooperate-in-sand-export-data/
Ministry blames ‘ineffective practices’ for over $400m in missing sand
Cambodia is overcoming “ineffective practices” and should not be held to the standards of developed countries, a Commerce Ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday amid renewed calls for the government to investigate over $400 million in unrecorded sand exports to Singapore. ...
Ben Paviour and Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ministry-blames-ineffective-practices-400m-missing-sand-120025/
Messy sand depots suspended
The Mines and Energy Ministry yesterday shut down six sand depots in Kandal province’s Sa’ang district for allegedly failing to “respect” a ministry directive concerning the proper transportation of sand, but they will be allowed to reopen on Wednesday if they agree to comply. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/31486/messy-sand-depots-suspended/
Miners ask Hun Sen to let them dig deeper
More than 500 villagers in Mondulkiri’s Chung Phlas’ mining community thumbprinted a letter sent to Prime Minister Hun Sen, and to the Ministry of Mines and Energy and its provincial counterpart, requesting that those holding a community mining licence be allowed to dig below the ...
Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/miners-ask-hun-sen-let-them-dig-deeper
Emerald infill assays confirm gold at Okvau
Australian mining company Emerald Resources has found “encouraging” results from a round of infill drilling at its Okvau gold project in Mondulkiri province, the company said in a filing to the ASX yesterday. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/emerald-infill-assays-confirm-gold-okvau
Jarai say no to Ratanakiri gold mine
An insurrection led by ethnic Jarai villagers against the Kingdom’s first commercial underground gold mine, to be operated by Indian-owned Mesco Gold (Cambodia), looms over the green, serene remote hamlet of Plung, a few kilometers from the Vietnamese border, in Ratanakiri’s O’Yadaw district. ...
Sonny Inbaraj Krishnan and May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/30569/jarai-say-no-to-ratanakiri-gold-mine/
Gov’t scoops up more mining revenue
In the first eight months of the year the Ministry of Mines and Energy has already surpassed its annual target for non-tax revenue collection from sand dredging and construction material-related mining operations, collecting 117 percent of the $6.6 million outlined in the 2016 national budget, ...
Kali Kotoski and Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/govt-scoops-more-mining-revenue
New mining licences issued, others revoked
Over 40 new mining licences were issued during the first half of the year to satisfy the high demand for construction materials by Cambodian infrastructure and real estate projects, while more than 100 licences were revoked due to environmental concerns or inactivity, a government official ...
Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/new-mining-licences-issued-others-revoked
Action urged over illegal mining
Rattanakiri provincial authorities were urged by a National Assembly commission yesterday to take swift action against illegal gem mining, which they blamed on infrastructure damage and tax revenue loss. Speaking after a meeting with provincial authorities at the provincial hall, opposition member Heng Danaro said the ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29980/action-urged-over-illegal-mining/
China urged to fund mining school
The Ministry of Mines and Energy is in talks with the Chinese government to build a research and training school, in order to boost the staffing capabilities of the country’s growing mining industry, according to a senior ministry official. Following recent news that gold deposits ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/28625/china-urged-to-fund-mining-school/
Angkor Gold hits the jackpot
Angkor Gold Corp., a Canada-based mineral exploration company with operations in Cambodia, has completed its exploration and analysis of ground samples at its Koan Nheak site in Mondulkiri province. Around 31.8 grams per ton (g/t) of gold were found in the samples, according to a ...
Sum Manet
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/28560/angkor-gold-hits-the-jackpot/
Checkpoint chief leased house to illegal Vietnamese miners
Five Vietnamese nationals who were renting a home from the local immigration department chief were arrested on Friday for conducting illegal mining operations in Ratanakkiri province’s O’Yadav district. ...
Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/checkpoint-chief-leased-house-illegal-vietnamese-miners
Mesco closes in on gold licence
After an unexpectedly lengthy review, the Ministry of Environment has approved the environmental and social impact study of Indian mining firm Mesco Gold, clearing the last major hurdle for the company to receive a licence to operate the Kingdom’s first royalty-generating mine. ...
Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/mesco-closes-gold-licence
Emerald to absorb Renaissance in merger
Australian mining firms Emerald Resources and Renaissance Minerals have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal that aims at creating synergies to develop gold projects in northeastern Cambodia, the companies said in a joint announcement yesterday. ...
Cam McGrath
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/emerald-absorb-renaissance-merger
A $50M copper mine at Kou Sa site envisaged
Australian-listed mining firm GeoPacific announced its first resource estimate on its copper-gold project in northern Cambodia, estimating 51,000 tonnes of copper equivalent at two adjacent prospects on its Kou Sa project site. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/50m-copper-mine-kou-sa-site-envisaged
Illegal mining continues in Ratanakiri
Despite claims from local authorities that illegal mining in Ratanakiri province’s Borkeo district had been stopped, more than 100 people have been seen continuing to mine the area. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/26686/illegal-mining-continues-in-ratanakiri/
New firm seeks to enter gold trading
Golden FX Link (Cambodia) has joined in the running to become a legally licensed firm to trade derivatives. With a registered capital of $5 million, Lawrence Kook, Director of Golden FX Link, said that the company received a license in principle from the Securities and ...
Cheng Sokhorng and Kali Kotoski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/new-firm-seeks-enter-gold-trading
Ministry findings hint at illegal gold mining in Ratanakkiri
An investigating team from the Ministry of Mines and Energy has concluded that evidence at Chhay Ching Heang Group’s operations in Ratanakkiri province seemingly points to illegal gold mining, though lab results from minerals extracted by the company are still pending, according to a ministry ...
Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-findings-hint-illegal-gold-mining-ratanakkiri
Emerald back on ASX after turning to gold
Emerald Resources NL, an Australian mining firm with interests in Cambodia, will relist on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on Tuesday following the company’s compliance with chapters 1 and 2 of the exchange’s listing rules and rule 11.1.3, the company said in a filing yesterday. ...
Post Staff
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/emerald-back-asx-after-turning-gold