May 24, 2025 – Zau Lawt, an independent Kachin researcher from Myanmar, has revealed that over 300 rare earth mines are operating in Kachin State without any environmental regulation, with all mining operations owned by Chinese investors and the extracted minerals exported directly to China. He warned that the chemical-intensive mining process is causing serious environmental damage and contaminating rivers with heavy metals, killing fish and livestock and rendering groundwater unusable in affected areas.
In an interview with Transborder News, Zau Lawt explained that rare earth mining, once concentrated in China, has shifted to Myanmar since 2015 when China tightened environmental regulations. Rare earth minerals are essential in manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, smartphones, and military hardware. As the world’s leading producer, China has used rare earths as a bargaining chip in geopolitical negotiations with the United States.
“In Myanmar, there are no environmental laws to control these activities. Toxic tailings are dumped directly into rivers and forests,” he said. “Although some mines are deep in the jungle and may not immediately impact communities, they are causing long-term and irreversible damage to ecosystems—including at the headwaters of the Sai and Kok Rivers.”
Photos often circulating online of multiple round, green-colored ponds show the chemical pools used in the extraction process. Zau Lawt noted that the chemicals used in rare earth mining are more toxic than mercury used in gold mining.
Following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) took control of several rare earth sites and temporarily halted operations. However, mining resumed in recent months, prompting renewed concerns about whether any environmental safeguards have been introduced.
“For Kachin people, rare earths aren’t necessary. We can grow our own food. The only thing we need to import is rice from Myanmar or India,” said Zau Lawt. “China doesn’t really want the revolutionaries to win. It supports the Myanmar junta. But the military is losing ground, and the KIA now controls more than 50% of Kachin territory. If Kachin becomes autonomous, it could enforce its own regulations on mining.”
He further claimed that the Chinese government is fully aware of the environmental destruction caused by rare earth mining but continues to benefit from the industry. “It’s like how they sent a vice minister to Thailand to extradite a Chinese scammer—on one hand they show cooperation, on the other, they profit from the illegal operations.”
“Think about it—your phone, your car, your TV—they all use rare earth magnets. Can you stop using them? That’s why China holds the upper hand. They produce 70-80% of the world’s supply,” he added, explaining why China may be unwilling to help curb these destructive practices.
Zau Lawt also warned that pollution from heavy metals has now spread from the Kok and Sai Rivers into the Mekong, posing trans-boundary risks. “This is beyond Thailand’s control now. It requires cooperation with downstream countries like Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam to address and contain the crisis,” he said.
