US$450 million poured into mining exploration in Laos

Designed with an initial annual capacity of 320,000 tonnes and expected to reach an eventual 1 million tonnes, the project will slash Kali fertilizer imports, limit the burden on both nations’ foreign currency reserves, and create jobs for thousands of Lao workers.

The Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines says 64 Lao and foreign investors have signed government mining and exploitation plant construction contracts.

Four more foreign firms are expected to invest in Laos’ mining industry over the 2013–2015 period.

Since 1998, Laos has licensed 171 foreign-invested mining projects with capitalization totaling US$5.5 billion. These projects have brought hundreds of millions of US dollars to Laos, the majority of which was earned via the two Sepon and Phoukham mines.