Myanmar: Satellite Data Show Burst of Deforestation in Myanmar Rare Earth Mining Hotspots

Sep 16, 2025 | Latoya Abulu and Sonam Lama Hyolmo
Mongabay
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Myanmar’s Kachin state, near the border with China, is a global hub for rare earth minerals. But the dearth of regulations over mining these resources has come at a steep cost to the area’s subtropical and moist forests, according to researchers and satellite imagery collected by Mongabay. Civil society sources in the region, who requested anonymity due to security concerns in the warring country, say mining activities are also causing alarming impacts on human health, women, soil and rivers.