"Rare earth mining in Myanmar’s Chipwi region causes socio-economic decline and severe environmental damage" 16 January 2025

The rapid growth of rare earth mining in the Chipwi region of Kachin State since the 2021 military coup has caused significant socio-economic decline, primarily due to environmental destruction and its impact on agriculture, the backbone of the local economy, according to a report by Myanmar Resource Watch (MRW).

The MRW report states that the main sources of income for local people in Chipwi are the cultivation of cardamom, walnuts, and quince. The population is largely dependent on agriculture, forestry, and the environment for their livelihoods, with 70 percent of the population engaged in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

However...since the 2021 military coup, intensified mining of rare earth minerals by armed groups, militias, and the authorities controlling the region has severely impacted the livelihoods of local people due to soil erosion, climate change, and environmental degradation.

...more than 96 percent of households in Chipwi Township lack access to clean drinking water, and that the chemical contamination of rivers and streams from rare earth mining waste has increased to the point where even fish can no longer survive.

The report highlights that the side effects of rare earth mining are causing unemployment among Chipwi residents, who rely on the environment for their livelihoods.

Locals are also facing rising rates of miscarriage, inadequate healthcare, lack of access to education, and transportation difficulties in the region...