Lane Xang Minerals Limited Company (LXML) proudly announces that it is the only company from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to receive the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network (ASEAN-OSHNET) Excellence Award 2025. The award was presented during the 6th ASEAN-OSHNET Awards Ceremony (AOA 6), held in conjunction with the 12th ASEAN-OSHNET Conference (AOC 12) in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference took place from September 2–4, 2025, with the award ceremony held on September 3, 2025.

The ASEAN-OSHNET Excellence Award, held biennially and hosted by ASEAN member states, recognizes organizations that demonstrate outstanding leadership, innovation, and results in occupational safety and health (OSH).

LXML, which operates the Sepon Gold and Copper Mine in Vilabouly District, Savannakhet Province, has set benchmarks in OSH performance since its operations began in 2003. The company has consistently achieved low injury frequency rates, with total recordable injury frequency rate’s (TRIFR) significantly outperforming industry benchmarks and reflecting its commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of its people and the communities it operates in. Thus, reflecting its commitment to a fatality-free and incident-free workplace.

The award was presented by H.E. Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit, Minister of Labour, Thailand, and received on behalf of LXML by Mr. Saman Aneka, Managing Director of LXML. As part of the ceremony, Mr. Carl Rieck, Manager – Safety, Health and Environment (SHE), delivered a presentation highlighting LXML’s outstanding achievements in OSH and the management framework that underpins its success. His presentation outlined the company’s approach to OSH including governance, policy and standards, strong hazard and risk control measures, and the robust monitoring and reporting systems that ensure accountability and transparency. He further emphasized LXML’s well-established emergency services functions, that are critical to reducing the severity of any unwanted events, and concluded by demonstrating the tangible benefits that effective occupational health and safety practices bring to employees, contractors, and the broader community.

Companies from across all ten ASEAN member states were considered for the award, making LXML’s recognition a remarkable achievement on a highly competitive regional stage. The Lao Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare expressed pride in LXML’s accomplishment, noting that this recognition highlights Laos’ growing leadership in advancing workplace safety and health standards in line with regional and international best practices.

“This award is a tremendous honour and a recognition of the collective effort and dedication of every single employee and contractor at LXML Sepon,” said Mr. Saman Aneka, Managing Director of LXML. “Our commitment to safety, health, and environmental responsibility is at the core of our operations, and this award validates our continuous pursuit of excellence in protecting our people.”

“This is well deserved recognition for company’s commitment to LXML people’s safety as a core value and validates the tireless efforts of our teams on the ground who make working safely an everyday reality,” added Mr. Carl Rieck, Manager – Safety, Health and Environment.

This recognition not only affirms LXML’s unwavering dedication to safe and sustainable mining but also highlights Lao PDR’s role as a regional leader in workplace safety and health. The company remains committed to continuous improvement in OSH, ensuring every worker returns home safely each day, and contributing to a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future for its employees, host communities, and the nation.

Mr. Saman Aneka, Managing Director of LXML (left), accepts the prestigious OSH Award from H.E. Pongkawin Jungrungruangkit, Minister of Labour, Thailand.