Highlights
- Stimson Center reveals over 2,400 unregulated mines along the rivers of Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
- These mines are dumping cyanide, mercury, arsenic, and rare earth residues into the Mekong River.
- Arsenic and heavy rare earth elements have been confirmed in Thailand's Kok River.
- Myanmar has become a critical source of heavy rare earths for China's dysprosium and terbium supply, which is essential for electric vehicle motors and wind turbines.
- China retains processing control by offshoring dirty extraction to conflict zones in Myanmar.
- Any crackdown on Myanmar's heavy rare earth element operations would tighten the global supply of dysprosium and terbium.
- Environmental contamination from these operations is now visible from space, with lab confirmation.
A Stimson Center study (opens in a new tab) paints a grim picture: more than 2,400 mostly unregulated mines along rivers in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, many linked to Chinese capital, are dumping cyanide, mercury, arsenic, and rare earth residues into the Mekong system. For readers of Rare Earth Exchanges, this is the next chapter in a story we’ve already followed in Myanmar’s Wa State, Nam Lwe corridor, and Kok River country.
Table of Contents
Rivers as Sacrifice Zones for Heavy Rare Earths
Stimson’s satellite-based dataset does indeed identify thousands of river-adjacent sites—heap-leach gold, alluvial operations, and about 77 rare earth mines draining into the Mekong basin alone. Testing in Thailand has confirmed arsenic and heavy rare earths (Dy, Tb) in the Kok River, forcing farming communities off surface water and onto wells.
As we’ve noted in earlier REEx Myanmar coverage, heavy REE feedstock from Shan and Kachin now underpins a large share of China’s dysprosium and terbium supply—critical to high-temperature magnets for EVs, wind, and defense.
From Wa Hills to EV Motors: A Dirty Midstream Reality
The reporting accurately notes that Myanmar has become one of the world’s key heavy-REE sources, with ore trucked into China for separation and magnet manufacture. This aligns with prior REEx analysis: China has effectively offshored some of its dirtiest extraction to conflict-adjacent buffer zones, while retaining near-total control of processing and value-add.
The non-profit correctly highlights in-situ leaching’s brutality—fertilizer and acids pumped into stripped hillsides, slurry drained to ponds, then dirty water sent back into rivers. Where it goes further is in the phrase “poisoning SE Asian rivers, global food supplies.” That global-supply framing is directionally plausible—Mekong shrimp, rice, and fish do reach Western supermarkets—but the magnitude of risk remains only partially quantified.
Much of the West leans heavily into “China-backed” villainy, with less attention to Myanmar’s military, ethnic armies, and local elites who also profit, or to international buyers happily accepting low-cost magnet feedstock. That’s framing, not outright misinformation—but investors should recognize the political narrative being reinforced.
Yes, China’s a big problem there, and there are also other culpable players. REEx has interviewed with stakeholders linked to Kachin State who express the fight for rights, freedom, and a Christian minority persecuted by the dominant class and military (The Junta) in that country.
For rare earth markets, the real signal is this:
- Environmental fallout is now visible from space, backed by lab data.
- Thailand and its neighbors are organizing task forces and cross-border pressure.
- Any serious clampdown on Myanmar’s heavy-REE belt would tighten dysprosium/terbium supply and reprice “clean” Western magnet ambitions overnight.
- Groups are legitimately fighting for their sovereignty and, in many cases, are Christian minorities.
Green tech today is still riding on very brown rivers.
© 2025 Rare Earth Exchanges™ – Accelerating Transparency, Accuracy, and Insight Across the Rare Earth & Critical Minerals Supply Chain.
It’s time to develop hard rock mining for HREE, which could be more regulated and proper ESG. India has taken such steps by calling bids for peralkaline rocks hosted by HREE in western Rajasthan. This block was explored by the Atomic Directorate for Exploration and Research, Government of India.