Lao PDR (Laos) is one of the most heavily bombed countries per capita, with over two million tonnes of explosive ordnances dropped on Laos between 1964 and 1973. It is estimated that up to 30% failed to detonate at the time. Cluster sub-munitions or ‘bombies’ (as they are locally known) are the most commonly found unexploded ordnance (UXO) remaining in the local region.

The MMG Lane Xang Minerals Limited (LXML) Sepon mine is situated in a remote area of the Vilabouly district in Savannakhet Province, which also happens to be one of the most bombed districts in the country.

Between 1964 and 1973, more than 270 million bombies were dropped in Laos. Of these, more than 80 million remain undetonated, leaving behind a deadly legacy. In the post war period between 1974 and 2018, over 21,000 people have been killed or injured as a result of UXO incidents, of which 25% of those injured were in Savannakhet Province.

This risk has brought unique challenges to mining operations, development projects and agricultural production, in our local region. In order to ensure our people and communities remain safe, MMG has implemented an integrated UXO clearance program in the local region. This is contributing to improved living conditions of our local communities by ensuring their safety and removing the primary obstacle to local development.

UXO work in numbers

Around 80% of the 125,000 hectares of concessional land granted to LXML by the Lao Government, was heavily bombed during the Indochina War as part of the logistics route known as the ‘Ho Chi Minh Trail’.

Since 1996, LXML has invested over US$45 million to help to address the problem of undetonated UXOs by working to clear approximately 2,900 hectares of land and destroying over 58,000 UXO items.

Enhancing capacity in the local region

In 2016, 35 LXML employees successfully completed the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Level 1 and 2 in-house UXO training, increasing the number of qualified Lao personnel capable of supporting UXO operations. A further nine employees completed the ‘pathfinder’ training, an in-house training to those who at least complete and qualify for EOD level 1.

The pathfinders are trained to accompany other people (geologist, environment and community relations employees) via the safest path to work areas that have not yet been cleared and potentially may encounter UXO.

LXML has also provided financial support to the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) in Vientiane in an effort to provide support to those affected by UXOs in Laos and to also raise awareness of the support and assistance that LXML can provide.

Increasing speed and accuracy of UXO detection

In 2015, LXML introduced new equipment to enhance UXO detection. The UltraTEM II Deep Bomb Detection System, developed in Australia can detect UXO buried up to 3.5 metres underground. The new system distinguishes closed space targets, provides accurate estimates of position and depths, and produces an auditable digital recording.

The UltraTEM can detect an UXO in a single pass in all soil types, increasing speed and accuracy. This is particularly useful for the harsh mining environment at the Sepon mine. LXML has a strong commitment to ongoing improvements and has fully supported these activities by participating in standardisation and field trials in Laos. Our Company’s learnings, experiences and technologies are also shared with the wider UXO clearance community in Laos.

Harnessing UXO knowledge – saving our people and communities

LXML is proud to have achieved zero-UXO related incidents within its clearance team. In 2017, 50 Sepon employees and contractors joined hands for an UXO awareness day. The purpose was to raise awareness around UXO hazards and demonstrate how our highly skilled clearance team helps to make work areas and local communities safer.

Without UXO clearance, no mining activity could safely take place at Sepon mine. Employees are made aware of the risks and empowered to educate their local communities about the potential for UXO hazards and the assistance Sepon can provide in the local area. MMG is proud to have worked to help remove obstacles to local development and our focus on keeping people safe by enhancing capacity, investing in modern state-of-the-art technology, and raising awareness on UXO through active partnership with key players in the UXO sector.

Pictured: A female UXO technician, accounting for 8% of the workforce, of which 80% are local Vilabouly residents, uses a metal detector to locate UXO at Sepon.