“Khammouane Authorities Temporarily Suspend Mining Operations After Land Collapses”

2 January 2025

The Ministry of Energy and Mines has suspended operations at a mining site in Khammounae province after two land collapses raised safety and environmental concerns. 

Both incidents occurred within rice fields belonging to local residents in Pak Beng Village, Thakhek District, near a mineral processing plant operated by a Chinese-owned Sino-Agri Potash International company.

the first collapse appeared on 3 December, 2024. It measured 436 square meters in area and was approximately 6 meters deep...A second collapse, reported by locals on 21 December, 2024, measured 125 square meters with the same depth of 6 meters and about 6 to 7 meters away from the first one...