"More Thai rivers and downstream communities at risk from Myanmar’s rare earth mines", Mongabay, 20 Oct 2025

New satellite data identified 513 sites of rare-earth mining that have cropped up across at least six key tributaries of the Mekong, Salween and Irrawaddy rivers in Myanmar over the past 10 years. These include 40 believed to have opened this year alone, with the total marking a dramatic increase from previous estimates and suggesting the risk of transboundary river pollution is significantly higher than once thought.

The new data and analysis from nonprofit think tank the Stimson Center, published Sept. 22, warns that the proliferation of unregulated mining operations in Myanmar [...] could be worse for the region’s rivers than expected.

Both the Sai and Kok rivers have carried toxic chemicals from mines in Shan state, Myanmar. (Both rivers trace their origins to the state’s Daen Lao mountains.) From Shan, they flow to communities in northern Thailand that are heavily dependent on rivers for survival, causing an estimated 1.3 billion baht ($40 million) in losses across the farming, fishing and tourism industries.

“We went to Tha Ton [...] They told us they’ve lost their economy, they don’t know whether the water is safe, they worry they’ll get sick and there’s not a lot of understanding or communication about the health implications of being in proximity to these chemicals [...].”

Rare earth minerals are predominantly found under mountains or hills, making Myanmar’s states of Kachin and Shan lucrative deposits. [...].

[...] mining shifted from Kachin state to Shan state in December 2024 after the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) defeated the forces of the New Democratic Army–Kachin (NDA-K). [...].

In Shan state, the Stimson Center’s data show a trend of the Mekong River Basin becoming increasingly important for rare earth miners. [...].

“The Myanmar military itself has no capacity or interest in engaging in any form of environmental protection, and instead is presently attempting to use airstrikes and military campaigns to retake control of the mines,” [...].