"Gold mining persists in protected forest, residents say" 15 May 24

A recent directive issued by the Cambodian government to crack down on illegal gold mining has not prevented a Chinese mining company from moving ahead with its project inside a protected forest, according to local residents and activists.

On May 4, the Ministry of Mines issued a statement saying it would “end illegal anarchic mining activities,” in order to promote legal mining...But residents living near the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in Kratie and Kampong Thom provinces in central Cambodia said large scale mines continue to operate unimpeded, though their impact on the protected forest has been long recorded. Residents who visited gold mines this week said security guards continued to patrol the area and the mines were running as usual...

Late Cheng Mining Development Co., Ltd., a Chinese company, received a license from the Cambodian government in March 2020 to explore more than 15,100 hectares (37,300 acres) in Sochet commune of Sandan district in Kampong Thom province for gold deposits.

A report published late last year by international environmental watchdog Bruno Manser Fonds highlighted a number of “environmentally-destructive activities” taking place in and around the Late Cheng mine, including the use of cyanide which has “well known environmental and human health risks.”...A report from Mongabay noted villagers said the company had been mining gold long before their extraction license was granted in 2022, while CamboJA detailed polluted streams, dead fish and a badly damaged ecosystem surrounding the mine...

Company representatives could not be reached for comment, nor could Minister of Mines and Energy and Minister of Environment...