Ann: Mining Licence Granted for the Okvau Gold Project, Cambodia, page-8

The way is clear now for building a gold mine.

One very important factor in Cambodia is government and community relations, and because they are one of only two new granted licenses, I'm assuming they are paying good attention to this.

It will also be very important to take a leaf out of KSN's book, and employ nearly all local people, and train them up if necessary, though most of them have been artisanal miners for years. There is a ready and eager work force.

Financing is the next step. This will be very interesting, and I'm wondering which banks or funds are willing to step into Cambodia, possibly an asian bank.

Everything will be slow until after the election, the result of which is known, since the current leadership banned some opposition parties.

It was interesting to see that the deaths of some locals, originally blamed on pollution in a river from artisinal gold mining, was possibly caused by excessive fertilizer and pesticide run-off into the rivers, which seems far more likely, and not popular with the greenies (who seem to have now gone quiet on the event).

Keep up to date with local politics and mining through The Khmer Times and other papers.

Mining agreements with the government, including taxation and other factors are ongoing. Funding is important now, as is the Cambodian elections, probably taking place late in July.

Gw