Livelihood security and artisanal gold mining in Prey Rumdeng, Preah Vihear, Cambodia

Abstract

Mineral resources such as bauxite, carbonates, gemstones, gold, manganese, phosphate, salt, silica and zircon have been charted by French and Chinese geologists in Cambodia since the 19th century. However, they have remained relatively untouched due to prolonged conflict and a lack of capital. Meanwhile, customary gold mining practices have been applied persistently and have provided villagers and in-migrants with a livelihood through trading and the exchange of knowledge with other cultures. As Cambodia opened to a market economy in the early 1990s, commodities such as gold have been in greater demand. Artisanal mining sites have tended to be co-opted by powerful individuals and large-scale companies, with local miners pushed aside, even on State public land. This has been facilitated by a lack of effective land classification that demarcates areas that have already been settled. As a consequence, customary Type V miners have been exploited. Other types of miners remain in the Prey Rumdeng of Phnom Lung where their land has been contested and is still not secured. Even under this turbulent situation, both settled and mobile artisanal miners, are still actively engaged in customary mining practices. While the significance of the financial contribution or these practices towards a diverse livelihood is low, they remain an important aspect of household income in these areas.