Cambodia Expands Extractive Capacity with Launch of New $40 Million Gold Refinery

• Proeksa Meas
• 3 May 2026
• Construction Focus
• 1146 Views

The Cambodian mining sector reached a significant new milestone as a major gold refinery was officially inaugurated at the provincial border of Kampong Thom and Kratie on April 22, 2026. Presided over by His Excellency Keo Rottanak, Minister of Mines and Energy, the opening of the Cambodian K88 Industry Co., Ltd. facility underscores the rapid transformation of the Kingdom’s industrial landscape and its growing ability to process mineral resources domestically.

Representing a total capital investment of approximately $40 million, the refinery is situated in the Snong Orn area, spanning Sochet commune in Kampong Thom’s Sandan district and extending into the Sambour district of Kratie province. The project has already begun to deliver tangible socio-economic benefits by creating direct employment for 375 Cambodian citizens, providing stable livelihoods and specialized technical training in the extractive arts. Beyond job creation, the facility is expected to catalyze a substantial inflow of foreign capital and stimulate the local economy through increased demand for services and infrastructure.

The inauguration serves as a testament to the increasing weight of the gold sector in Cambodia’s national budget. Minister Keo Rottanak revealed that over the past five years, gold mining operations across the country have generated more than 200 million dollars in revenue for the state treasury. This facility is the seventh gold refinery to be established in the Kingdom, joining a growing network of industrial sites that produced nearly 18 metric tonnes of gold between 2021 and 2025 in provinces such as Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear, and Ratanakiri. The successful launch of this newest project follows a multi-year development timeline that began with mineral exploration in 2020 and the discovery of economically viable deposits in 2023.

• Gold minig
• MoME