United States Targets Myanmar Heavy Rare Earths Through Peace Diplomacy-but China Controls the Exit Routes

Highlights

• Washington's Myanmar strategy ties peace negotiations to access to dysprosium and terbium deposits in rebel-controlled Kachin State.
• China dominates established export corridors through Yunnan, controlling roughly 98% of heavy rare earth separation capacity.
• Alternative routes through India's Ledo Road and southern Thailand face severe infrastructure, terrain, and conflict-related barriers.
• Chemical leaching from hundreds of mining sites has damaged Kachin waterways, while civil war has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
• Sanctions, territorial authority, community consent, and Chinese processing dominance remain unresolved obstacles to any U.S. mineral agreement.