Two men have died in northeast Cambodia after a riverbank collapsed during a gold mining attempt, underscoring the dangers of the country’s informal mining sector.

The accident happened at dawn on 8 April along the O Te stream in Mondulkiri province.

The victims, identified as Krot Nin, 72, and Mep Leum, 37, were digging into the riverbank with five others when the soil gave way, burying them beneath tonnes of earth.

Fellow miners tried desperately to dig them out and pump away water, but both men were already dead by the time rescuers reached them. Their bodies have since been returned to their families.

This latest tragedy highlights the risks faced by Cambodia’s thousands of small-scale miners, many of whom operate without formal licences or safety equipment. Mondulkiri and neighbouring provinces have long been hotspots for artisanal gold mining, where villagers dig into riverbanks or pan streams in search of ore. The lure is strong: gold prices remain high, and for rural communities with limited job opportunities, mining offers quick cash.

But the dangers are equally clear. Collapses, flooding and landslides are common, particularly during the rainy season. Environmental groups have also warned that unregulated mining damages fragile ecosystems, contaminates rivers with mercury and destabilises land.

Cambodia’s gold industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Alongside informal miners, large-scale concessions have been granted to foreign companies, including Australian and Chinese firms, to exploit deposits in Mondulkiri and Preah Vihear. In 2021, the government announced its first commercial gold production, hailing it as a new pillar of the economy. Yet critics argue that while industrial projects bring revenue, they often displace local communities and leave artisanal miners with few safe alternatives.

For families like those of Nin and Leum, the risks are borne personally. Their deaths are part of a recurring pattern: every year, accidents in Cambodia’s gold fields claim lives, turning the promise of prosperity into tragedy.

As the country continues to balance economic ambitions with safety and environmental concerns, the question remains whether Cambodia can regulate its gold rush without sacrificing the lives of those who dig for survival.

-2026-04-10

Unfortunately nothing will stop poor desperate people from trying to make a living even if it’s risky. The high prices of gold have only increased the unlicensed poor people to try to cash in on it. In their situation it’s a risk many are willing to take.