In collaboration with Cambodia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy, the IGF delivered a 3-day workshop in May 2026 on mine closure in Cambodia. The aim was to support Cambodia with the development of a Prakas (a ministerial decree or proclamation) that outlines the principles and practices that must be used in the planning and implementation of a mine closure.
The workshop brought together 21 participants from Cambodia’s mining institutions to discuss and debate the contents of the Prakas and prepare the first draft. During this workshop, participants discussed:
- the foundational environmental, social, and economic requirements that must be followed and that guide the planning, design and implementation of mine closure;
- the requirements for mine closure plans, including progressive rehabilitation;
- transitioning the land used by the operation to an environmentally stable and sound post-mining state by following the principles of physical and chemical stability, but also by rehabilitating some or all the land impacted by mining to a natural setting;
- the measures required for community and stakeholder engagement and to support the transition of workers and communities to a post-mining socioeconomic environment;
- cost estimation and environmental bonding and bank guarantees for mine closure.
A team from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, with IGF’s support, will continue to refine the first draft of the Prakas to ensure the content meets the requirements for mine closure in Cambodia. This Prakas is an important step for the sustainable management of the mining sector in Cambodia by defining the mine closure principles that must be followed in the design, operation, and closure of mines in the country.