KRATIE: While speaking at the inauguration ceremony of National Road No. 7 in Kratie Province on Monday morning, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that Mondulkiri province has produced around 1,751 kilograms of gold in the past six months.

Prime Minister Hun Sen cited a report on the production of Cambodian gold affirming that the country produces 80 to 100 kg of gold per week, a production amount that is on the rise.

He stated that he has set the goal of Cambodia’s economic development in the direction of agro-industry and mineral resources. He said while not all research into these sectors has been completed yet, he affirmed there is great potential as Cambodia has natural reserves of bauxite and coal, as well as other places in the country that can produce gold.

He said, "I have set the goal of economic development in the direction of our agro-industry and mineral resources. We have not done all the research yet, we still have bauxite, we still have coal, we still have other places to produce gold, we have not used [these resources] yet, we only just started [extracting them] in the last 6 to 7 months. "

He added that when the gold extracted in Cambodia, it is processed into gold bullion and then sent to Australia for refining.

In 2022, four more gold mining companies will officially start their gold mining business in Cambodia. Three of these gold mining companies are Chinese-investment led businesses, located in Preah Vihear, Kratie and Mondulkiri provinces, and the fourth is run by an Indian company located in Ratanakkiri.