Country Profile

Myanmar

Country

Overview

About Myanmar

Myanmar is a major source of the heavy rare earths used in the magnets of electric vehicles and wind turbines, and most of that output goes to China for processing. The ore is ion-adsorption clay in Kachin and Shan states, the deposit type the U.S. Geological Survey describes as the dominant supply of heavy rare earths. Operators inject ammonium sulfate solution into hillsides and collect the leachate in tanks and pools across many small, scattered sites.

Ethnic armed groups and militias hold the mining areas, and control has changed hands during the civil war. No publicly accessible corporate database shows licenses for the active mines. USGS estimates the country's output from Chinese import data.

Whoever holds the mines has leverage over China's heavy rare earth feed. After the Kachin Independence Army seized the northern mining belt, it taxed the trade and throttled supply. Chinese imports from Myanmar fell sharply for months before trade resumed under the group's rule.

The question for buyers outside China is whether Myanmar feed can reach a separator anywhere else when the established route runs across the Chinese border.

Mine Production & Reserves

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Policy & Regulation

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Rare Earth Elements

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Mining Projects

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Processing Facilities

Headquartered Companies

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Deals & Transactions

REEx Intelligence

Recent Articles

Straight Into Your Inbox

Straight Into Your Inbox

Receive a Daily News Update Intended to Help You Keep Pace With the Rapidly Evolving REE Market.

Fantastic! Thanks for subscribing, you won't regret it.