Unregulated mining of rare earth minerals in Myanmar’s Kachin state for export to nearby China is irreparably damaging the environment, local watchdogs in the northern state told RFA.
Myanmar exported more than 140,000 tons of rare earth deposits to China, worth more than U.S. $1 billion between May 2017 and October 2021, a statement from China’s State Taxation Administration said.
Since Myanmar’s military wrested control of the country from Myanmar’s democratically elected government more than a year ago, exports to China of rare earths–which are used in smart phones, electric cars and other high-tech products–have increased, a local activist group told RFA.
Kachin residents claim that the rare earths have been discovered in the Pangwa, Chi-pwe, Myitkyina, district, east of the province, just a few years back. Since the coup, the regulations regarding mining have been abolished and the military and its trading partners seem to have complete control over the mines.
“Under junta rule, and the minister of natural resources being in the junta, there are a lot of opportunities for these illegal miners,” a resident living near the mines told RFA’s Myanmar Service.
“They are so much more active than ever. Following the overthrow of Myanmar’s elected government in a February 2021 coup, the number of people coming to this region from the lower parts of the country increased significantly,” said the resident, who requested anonymity to speak freely.
After being tested for COVID-19 they must pay 10,000 kyat ($5.63) to enter the town. This allows the town to collect approximately 1,000,000 kyat per daily ($563) from all workers passing through.
“As far as I can tell, the number of people entering this part of the country must be in the tens of thousands since the end of the rainy season at the start of winter,” the resident said.
In the midst of a major COVID-19 epidemic, the border between Kachin State (China) and Kachin State was temporarily closed in 2020. However, it was reopened in November. During the closure, 3,000-4,000 tonnes of rare earth ore that was mined in Myanmar were left stranded at border.
When the closure was lifted, a manager of a Chinese state-owned mining company based in Guangzhou on Dec 2 said all the ore was trucked to Jiangxi province, China’s Global Times reported.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there were 240,000 tons of rare earth mineral mining worldwide in 2020. China accounted for 140,000 tons, followed closely by the United States with 38,000 tonnes and Myanmar with 30,000 tons.
China is the largest producer of rare earth minerals in the world, but it also buys ore from Myanmar to take advantage of its cheaper labor.
RFA was informed by a Pangwa environmental activist that unregulated mining in Kachin State had caused many destructions to local forests and mountains.
“The Chinese are the main business owners. Their aides in Myanmar make arrangements to obtain the use of local landowners. Now we can see the mountains disappearing,” the activist said.
“These miners usually clear the ground and then dig holes. They then pour chemically treated liquid into the holes. When they are done, they don’t cover up the holes in the ground, causing landslides when the rains come,” said the activist.
Growing international demand for rare earths is closely linked to illegal mining in Myanmar, and the demand is increasing as developed countries shift toward technologies like electric cars and wind turbines, Yadanar Maung of Justice Myanmar, a Myanmar-based activists’ group, told RFA.
She stated that since the coup, the military junta has used various means to raise money, including mining. This puts local people at greater danger.
According to The Harvard International Review, the amount of hazardous waste in Myanmar was estimated at 284 million tons and radioactive waste at around 14 million tons during the period from May 2017 to Oct 2021.
RFA was informed by a worker who was involved with one of the mining operations that five toxic chemicals, including ammonium bicarbonate and oxalic acid, were used in mining rare earth minerals.
“In the beginning, we had to test the topsoil to see if there were any possible deposits. After that, if the deposits were found, we’d build the ponds and get pipes connected. The soil was then fed into the pipes every five to ten days. Later, the metallic deposits can be retrieved and baked. After that the ore is taken away to China,” he said.
“The boss here is only in charge of us. It is believed that the bosses are located in mainland China. We had to bring water from another area to get drinking water. The water near the site of the mining was considered unfit for drinking. The Chinese said we must not drink the water there,” he said.
Shwe Social Development Foundation based in Myitkyina and Laung Byit Khaung based in Chi-pwe told a news conference December 2018 that they had tested water sources close to the mines and found toxic chemicals.
RFA was told by local sources that Myo Ko Ko is a Myanmar medical firm that has been granted a license for the establishment of a mine to mine rare Earth minerals in Kachin State. The report, which was cited by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, was published in 2019. The 281 acres of land that is licensed in Chi-pwe Township is equivalent to 159 football pitches.
RFA’s emails asking about the current state of the mining industry and its environmental impact were not answered by Myo Ko Ko. RFA attempted to reach the Kachin State Director of Mines regarding the matter, but was unsuccessful.
Chemicals from mining are definitely seeping into citizens’ drinking water, Tu Khaung, Minister for Environmental Conservation and Natural Resources for Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG) told RFA. The NUG is made up of lawmakers and other officials who were ousted by the coup.
“Basically, acidic chemical were poured into different locations all over the mountain in order to get the rare Earth deposits. You get this liquid that comes out from the bottom of the mountain after pouring in that acid,” he said.
“The workers cannot take out all the chemicals they poured in and some of them seep into the mountain soil and through the underground water and then into the surrounding area. The minister stated that people living near mining areas often have to rely upon natural water for drinking, and that this water has become all polluted.
Translated by Khin Mung Nyane. Eugene Whong translated the text into English
