Extractive industries
Extractive industries policy and administration
New facility worries activists
Activists say a new sand-processing facility is under construction in Koh Kong’s Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary, in the vicinity of the area where two companies were granted permission to conduct environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for sand-dredging projects, documents show, despite a standing government ban on sand ...
Law on Minerals under revision
The government is revising the Law on Mining in the hope that its amendment will support sustainable development of valuable natural resources and bring the highest benefits to the nation.A workshop to learn and consult the proposed changes took place in Vientiane on Monday, which ...
Land compensation issue remains unresolved
Although a verbal promise had been made for compensation to be paid for lands which were seized from a subsidiary of a Chinese firm Wanbao Mining, Myanmar Yang Tse is still operating the Sabetaung and Kyisintaung mines beside Letpadaung.The lands have been seized twice, between ...
New plan to boost community involvement in mining concessions
The government intends to draw up a new master plan on the mining industry in which regulations on ore processing and community participation will be tightened, according to a national policy committee.However, it remains uncertain if Akara Resources, formerly the largest gold mine operator in ...
The most neglected threat to public health in China is toxic soil
Tang Donghua, a wiry 47-year-old farmer wearing a Greenpeace T-shirt, smokes a cigarette and gesticulates towards his paddy fields in the hills of southern Hunan province. The leaves of his rice plants poke about a foot above water. Mr Tang says he expects to harvest ...
Dầu Tiếng Reservoir sand mining suspended
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the provinces of Tây Ninh, Bình Dương and Bình Phước to suspend sand mining operations at Dầu Tiếng Reservoir, following an order from the Government. The ministry told officials to adjust planning for construction sites and ...
Cold-water fish a gold mine
Hoang Van Ta, 53, was the first person to farm salmon in his commune in the mountainous province of Lang Son in 2007. Now he earns as much as VND4-5 billion (US$180,000-$220,000) a year from salmon. Mau Son Commune, Loc Binh District is located about 170km ...
Four mining licences put up for bids
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has publicly announced that companies can bid for four mining exploration permits in both Kratie and Kampot provinces, marking the first time since the ministry was formed in 2013 to issue fresh licences for private companies to investigate mineral ...
Ground broken for oil refinery
After years of delays and setbacks, the Cambodian firm set to operate the Kingdom’s landmark oil refinery finally broke ground on May 4 on a $1.62 billion project with an updated completion date set for the middle of 2019. The oil refinery, which will be built ...
Give back our alabaster mining sites: residents
Sakyin area residents in Madaya township, Mandalay Region, have urged the government to award more locals, and not companies, with permits for alabaster production. This would create more job opportunities for locals in the district, they said. Resident U Aung Htoo said the mining sites were ...