Illegal gold mining continues in Cam Muon - Que Phong

• July 6, 2013 22:51

Since the beginning of the year, Cam Muon commune (Que Phong) has been well-known for illegal gold mining in the Huoi Hang mountain area. There have been many raids, especially on June 28-29, Que Phong district authorities coordinated with the provincial police to push back and destroy all the gold mines on Huoi Hang mountain, it was thought that this problem in Cam Muon would decrease. But no, illegal gold mining in the Huoi Hang mountain area has temporarily calmed down, but illegal gold miners are operating vigorously on both sides of Quye stream through the villages of Don Phat, Cam Cang, Cam Pom, Cam Noc.

(Baonghean.vn) -Since the beginning of the year, Cam Muon commune (Que Phong) has been well-known for illegal gold mining in the Huoi Hang mountain area. There have been many raids, especially on June 28-29, Que Phong district authorities coordinated with the provincial police to push back and destroy all the gold mines on Huoi Hang mountain, it was thought that this problem in Cam Muon would decrease. But no, illegal gold mining in the Huoi Hang mountain area has temporarily calmed down, but illegal gold miners are operating vigorously on both sides of Quye stream through the villages of Don Phat, Cam Cang, Cam Pom, Cam Noc.

Present here on July 6, 2013, there were dozens of groups, each group had about 10 people, they set up tents, organized activities and meals right at the site and used Dong Phong suction machines to mine for gold. Infiltrating to investigate, in the mining groups, 60 - 70% were people from other localities.

These people buy machinery, tools and contribute labor, while local people contribute by exploiting the fields and gardens. The current state of this land is alarming. Many fields and gardens along the stream banks have become pits, mounds and gravel fields. And the water in Quyè stream is yellow and thick with mud...

Below are some photos taken by Nghe An Newspaper reporters at gold mining sites on July 6, 2013:

Illegal gold mining in the rice fields of Don Phat village

A series of mining teams and groups in the fields and gardens of Cam Noc village

A mining group right next to Cam Noc village

Most of the subjects illegally mined gold by digging deep into streams and fields and using Dong Phong vacuum cleaners.

Young people make up the largest proportion of gold diggers.

A large trough of the group owned by Mr. Lu Van Ty - Cam Noc village

Besides machine mining, there is also manual mining.

Children are also mobilized to participate in gold panning.

The gold nuggets of the artisanal miners are stored on a layer of mud.

All activities, eating and resting take place in camps on the gold fields.

Quye stream water has been heavily polluted.

A field has been deformed due to illegal gold mining.