Instruction No. 1210/MEM on investment standards for mine search and survey.

This Ministerial Instruction establishes the specific standards and technical criteria for companies seeking to invest in mineral prospecting and exploration activities in the Lao PDR. It aims to ensure that the application process is transparent and that only qualified investors with genuine technical and financial capacity are granted rights to explore national mineral resources.
The Ministerial Instruction is designed to prevent "concession squatting"—the practice of holding land rights without performing work in order to illegally flip or sell the rights to third parties. It sets strict limits on the size of prospecting areas based on the type of mineral, such as a maximum of 200 km² for precious and base metals.
Specifically, the instruction defines "Investment Standards" as a combination of land area, capital requirements, mineral type, and proven experience. It mandates that investors must be legal entities with at least five years of experience in the mining sector; if an applicant lacks this experience, they must demonstrate sufficient technical and financial backing to ensure the project’s success and maximum benefit to the state.