Dec. 3 (UPI) — Unregulated mining across the Mekong region is accelerating at a pace that environmental researchers warn is outstripping governance, enforcement and ecological safeguards.

From Myanmar’s jade-rich northern highlands to informal gold pits along Laos and Cambodia’s riverbanks, mineral extraction is expanding in some of Southeast Asia’s most fragile ecosystems, often beyond the reach of national law and outside public scrutiny.

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Sand mining is conducted mainly at open pits, beaches, inland dunes or from the dredging of ocean and river beds.

Sand is mined primarily to produce concrete for use in construction but this little-noticed and largely unregulated activity has serious costs  because it damages rivers and wreaks havoc on coastal ecosystems and has even wiped  away entire islands.

The growing demand for sand is driven by rapid urbanisation, including the ongoing building boom in Cambodia. and global population growth.

The announcement designates three locations up for bid in Koh Kong province. Those include 109 hectares in Ta Noun commune of Botum Sakor district, 882 hectares in Andong Toek and Kandal commune of Botum Sakor district and 464 hectares in Dang Peng, Chi Khor Kraom and Chrouy Svay communes of Sre Ambel district.

There are four spots up for bidding in Sihanoukville, including 318 hectares in Keo Phos commune of Stung Hav district, 81 hectares in Tumnob Rolok of Stung Hav, 60 hectares in Ou Chrov commune of Prey Nob district and 228 hectares in Ream and Ou Chrov communes of Prey Nob district.

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There is big opportunity, and and also big risk in the Mekong mining sector, according to recently published report. Fitch Solutions Macro Research’s industry analysis maintains the Mekong region will remain underdeveloped and dominated by domestic players in the coming years as foreign investment flows into the sector will be minimal amid a myriad of risks.

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Sand is a key ingredient in concrete, the essential building material of Vietnam’s fast-growing cities. Demand for it is surging—and that is wreaking havoc not only on Vietnam’s rivers, but also on the all-important Mekong Delta. 

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The post Dramatic Photos Show How Sand Mining Threatens a Way of Life in Southeast Asia first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

Australian mining firm Medusa Mining has announced plans to begin exploration for gold, copper and oil in Kratie province’s Prek Kampi commune, about 35 kilometres west of a stretch of the Mekong River that is home to endangered river dolphins.

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Bình Thuận Province has reaped enormous economic benefits from titanium mining, but the industry has also damaged the environment badly, degraded the lives of local residents. The southern province has the highest titanium reserves in the country at an estimated 599 million tonnes, or 92 per cent of total national reserves. However, exploiting it without taking mitigating and environmental restoration measures has left the mines constantly covered with thick layers of dust that badly pollute the air.

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The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has rejected a proposal to shut down a major iron mine over concerns that it poses risks to the environment. The ministry said in a press statement that the proposal by the Ministry of Investment and Planning (MPI) to immediately terminate the Thạch Khê iron mine project in the central province of Hà Tĩnh “was not based on scientific and practical considerations”. It added that an alternative proposal would be submited to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc for approval.

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Buyers from China have found it much easier to do business in the mines of Hpakant than in Mandalay’s Maha Aung Myay Gems Trading Centre, the city’s largest emporium which features more than 1000 shops, especially if they want to buy raw or uncut jades. “I have been working for a month now at the mines instead of at Mandalay Market. Even my market acquaintances are here now. In this place, you can observe the raw stones. And, you get to buy at lower prices too. As the gems are taken directly from Hpakant to China, the domestic market seems to be collapsing,” said U Soe Nyunt, a gem trader, on June 6. While some mines have closed due to the heavy rain in May brought about by onset of the monsoon season, there were still other mine sites which remained open and there were small scale miners and gem scavengers who sell jades, he added.

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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 dumps in the reservoir to ensure safety and protect the environment and management of natural resources at the reservoir. The provinces have also been asked to intensify inspection and supervision of violations in the protection area of the Dầu Tiếng – Phước Hòa irrigation system, especially management of submerged land.

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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 northeast of Ha Noi, with the highest peak reaching about 1,600 metres above sea level. The area is a famous tourism site for its spectacular landscape, its tea from tea buds plucked from the mountain’s vast tea fields, and now, for its delicious salmon, as well. In 2007, when Ta traveled to Sa Pa District and had a chance to visit a salmon farm there, he thought of building the same farm in Mau Son Commune, where the weather conditions are similar.

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