The Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce has ordered a nationwide crackdown on illegal mineral extraction after recent gold mining cases in Luang Prabang Province drew public attention and renewed concerns over unauthorized mining.
In a statement published on 6 July, the ministry instructed companies and the public to immediately halt all illegal mining activities, warning that authorities will intensify inspections and pursue legal action against offenders.
The announcement follows inspections on 10 and 11 June that uncovered two suspected illegal alluvial gold mining sites in Phonxay and Pak Ou districts of Luang Prabang.
At the first site in Phonxay, inspectors found excavators, gold-washing machines, gold recovery mats, and other mining equipment, although most workers fled into nearby forest before authorities arrived. Two Vietnamese nationals had already been arrested during an earlier operation on 10 June.
At a second site in Pak Ou District, authorities detained five people, two Lao nationals and three Chinese nationals, and seized additional mining equipment. Officials said the operation had no legal authorization, and the suspects remain under investigation by provincial police.
The ministry said inspectors will continue investigating both sites to identify those responsible and take legal action under Lao law.
Broader Campaign
The Luang Prabang cases form part of a broader campaign against illegal mining across the country.
On 18 June, the ministry ordered provincial authorities to strengthen monitoring of illegal mining and mineral trading, warning that violators could face fines, licence revocation, asset confiscation, public disclosure, and criminal or disciplinary action. The government also encouraged the public to report suspected violations.
Authorities have since expanded enforcement. On 2 July, officials launched an investigation into unusually muddy water in the Nam Song River in Vientiane Province, concluding that illegal mineral extraction and road construction had allowed large amounts of sediment to enter the river.
Recent enforcement actions have also included the arrest of eight suspects linked to illegal gold mining in Xieng Khouang Province, the closure of an unauthorized gold mine in Xaysomboun where seven people were detained, and a joint operation in Savannakhet in May that dismantled illegal mining and logging activities and led to the arrest of 11 suspects.
The latest measures are part of a broader effort by the government to tighten oversight of the mining sector as illegal operations continue to surface across several provinces.
