In May 2011, a rich gold deposit was discovered near the rural Maroon village of Klaaskreek. Soon, numerous gold miners invaded the area. Tensions rose when Klaaskreek Maroons chased away all non-Klaaskreek miners.

The Maroons based their right to do so on their tribal rights to the lands surrounding the Klaaskreek community. With help of the police, the district government, and a community miners’ organization the fighting parties were calmed down. Since then, only Klaaskreek villagers were working on this site, even though they have no legal mining title on this land. The mine site is part of the exploration concession of the mining multinational Iamgold.