“On lucky days, we could get get 1 gy,” or about 3.8 grams, he told VOA Khmer recently. “On other days, just 4 or 5 hun,” about 1.9 grams, “or even just 1 hun on unlucky days.”
Miners here say hundreds of families from various regions in the province have come to the area since last year, seeking their fortune in gold rather than farming.
“It’s up to luck,” said Hu Chhun, another miner. “We just keep digging. Sometimes we get a lot, sometimes less. It’s uncertain; it lies underground.”
In their search, however, the miners expose themselves to the risks of dust, mercury and other chemicals used to purify gold. They are also exposed to malaria.
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