The number of Macao's mobile phone subscribers stood at 674,000 at the end of March, seeing a year-on- year rise of 23 percent, according to official statistics issued Tuesday.

Figures from the the government-run Statistics and Census Service showed that the number of fixed telephone users reached 177,142 at the end of February, seeing a year-on-year increase of 2 percent.

The number of Internet users stood at 107,000 at the end of February, rising 18 percent year-on-year, the figures showed.

The region has a population of 502,000.

Source: Xinhuaand creeks.

Although gold mining was undertaken in the area since over a decade ago, gold output there was little, local residents said.

As gold output has become high now, many gold mining companies are seeking to officially engage in the sector with more and more mining workers pouring in the region and turning the small silent township into a very booming business one, the report said.

Myanmar has been encouraging the country's private sector to mine gold, allowing more such engagement by them at many prospective small gold mining blocks across the country.

So far, there has been 380 small blocks for gold mining already granted to the private entrepreneurs and most of the gold are produced from those blocks in Sagaing and Mandalay divisions, according to the state-run Myanmar Mining Enterprise (MME)-2 which also disclosed that besides the two divisions, there are also other small blocks under exploration in Kachin, Mon and Bago states and divisions.

As set by the state, private enterprises are allowed to conduct gold exploration activities on 8-hectare blocks under a lease term with the MME for at least three years for the undertaking, the MME said.

It said 35 percent of the gold output from the blocks is to be shared by the state, while the rest can be sold by the private investor freely in domestic market.

Meanwhile, the MME is also making arrangement to privatize the largest state-run gold mine in Kawlin, northwestern Sagaing division, in a bid to transform it from a poor operating status to a better and effective one.

The 2.66-square-kilometer Kyaukpahtoe Gold Mine currently operating under the MME will be the first of its kind to be transferred to the local private sector. The gold mine, which started operation in 1980, currently produces two bars of gold or less than that as compared with four bars previously, it was revealed.

Official statistics show that foreign contracted investment in Myanmar's mining sector has so far amounted to about 534.19 million dollars since the country opened to such investment in late 1988, accounting for 7 percent of the total foreign investment and standing as the fifth largest sectorally.

Other foreign firms engaged in mineral exploration in Myanmar include those from Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.

Source: Xinhua