China’s extraction of rare earth minerals in Myanmar has reached unprecedented levels, according to a report by Irrawaddy, which said the plunder of minerals had caused an “environmental catastrophe” in Kachin state.
The news outlet said Chinese customs data revealed a “staggering 70% growth in imports” in 2023, with shipments reaching 34,241 metric tons.
It suggested China was exploiting the country while it is engaged in the worst civil strife since independence, saying “Beijing’s aggressive stockpiling strategy extends far beyond its domestic requirements” and that “China is hoarding resources to weaponize them against potential future sanctions.”
Northern Kachin state had been famous for its pristine forests and rich biodiversity, it said, but “now resembles a lunar landscape pockmarked with mining pits and processing facilities.”
Chinese companies said to be operating via “a complex web of local proxies and shadowy partnerships, had expanded operations by over 40%, to the point where Myanmar is now “China’s primary source of heavy rare earths, supplying approximately 40% of crucial elements like dysprosium, yttrium, and terbium.
The environmental impact was “catastrophic” – investigations by UK-based NGO Global Witness found “widespread destruction of ecosystems, with toxic chemicals from processing operations contaminating water sources and agricultural land.
Local communities had complained of severe health impacts – skin diseases, respiratory problems and internal organ damage. But their concerns were ignored by the ruling junta, because it “depends on Chinese support for survival.”
Many Western nations and companies have boycotted Myanmar as its military has been staging air attacks on citizens in areas where there is conflict, but Chinese firms had been operating without scrutiny, “flouting international trade regulations and environmental standards with impunity.”
They had established a virtual “private rare earth reserve” but it came at a dreadful human cost and their abuses were “hidden from international scrutiny by Myanmar’s isolation.”
Read the full report: The Irrawaddy.
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