Despite repeated crackdowns, illegal gold mining in the Mondulkiri’s Mesam area, in Chong Plas commune, Keo Seima district, reportedly continues, with operations evolving from small-scale family activities to more extensive underground mining involving heavy machinery, explosives and chemicals, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has warned.
The ministry noted that chemical waste from the operations was having serious environmental and social impacts.
In an October 23 statement, the ministry said it was continuing enforcement measures.
The latest major crackdown began in November 2024, in cooperation with the Mondulkiri provincial administration and provincial prosecution authorities. Courts have initiated or continued legal proceedings against repeat offenders and several alleged leaders, it said.
The ministry is currently working with a registered gold-mining company to collect mining waste containing chemicals left behind by illegal operations and transport it to a designated safe storage site.
The waste will be treated to neutralise the chemicals and prevent them from seeping into surface water and groundwater, which could cause serious harm to the environment and local communities.
The company has already provided jobs to about 100 local residents at its licensed mining operation, the ministry noted.
Recently, however, some illegal miners have staged protests and posted messages on social media claiming that the ban on further illegal mining and the ministry’s waste-cleanup measures have affected their livelihoods.
The ministry said their claims do not fully reflect the situation on the ground, adding that it was working to rehabilitate and clean up the environment while addressing social conditions in the area to protect public health and improve residents’ well-being.
Mesam has been a site of small-scale, family-run gold mining since around 1987, when residents panned for gold by hand, according to the ministry.
In recent years, however, the activity has shifted from manual methods using simple tools to the use of heavy machinery, explosives and chemicals, alongside the excavation of underground tunnels and mine shafts.
The ministry said it had conducted a crackdown in 2017 and repeatedly publicised the problem. Despite subsequent efforts by the Mondulkiri provincial Department of Mines and Energy and local authorities to educate residents, prevent illegal mining and secure commitments to stop the activity, the operations have continued.
“Illegal mining in this area has persisted and become increasingly serious, involving the use of chemicals and explosives, as well as the excavation of underground mine tunnels and shafts, creating extremely dangerous conditions,” the ministry said.
The ministry called on authorities at all levels and other stakeholders to work together to prevent and end illegal mining and support efforts to restore and clean up the affected area.
It also pledged continued support for legal mining operations that contribute to national economic and social development by creating direct and indirect employment, increasing state revenue, reducing serious environmental and social impacts, and supporting local communities through sustainable and responsible mining.
The ministry also urged the public to help prevent illegal mining by reporting suspected activities through its 095 727 727 hotline.