[Source/Observer Network, Shao Yun]

Reuters reported on June 12 that according to multiple sources, there are two new medium-to-large rare earth mines in the eastern Shan State of Myanmar. These mines are reportedly operating under the protection of the United Wa State Army (UWSA, hereinafter referred to as the Wa Allied Army). Some experts said that this may be the first large-scale rare earth concentration mining area formed in northern Myanmar outside of Kachin State in recent years.

One of the mine sites is only about 30 kilometers away from the Thailand-Myanmar border. The report said that commercial satellite images show that in April 2023, a conspicuous circular clearing "first appeared" in the forested hills of the region. In February 2025, shortly after the main mining belt in Kachin State was occupied by another ethnic armed organization, more than a dozen leaching ponds appeared near the new mining area. These ponds are typically used for extracting heavy rare earth elements.

The other mine site is located 6 kilometers west of the aforementioned site, on the right bank tributary of the Mekong River, the Kok River (Kok river). Reuters said that satellite images from May 2024 also showed cleared land nearby. Less than a year later, the area had already built 20 leaching ponds.

Location of the new rare earth mines, map made by Reuters

Patrick Meehan, a lecturer at the University of Manchester who has extensively studied Myanmar's rare earth industry, analyzed the satellite images and said that the above-mentioned medium-to-large scale mine sites seem to be the first batch of important rare earth mining facilities in Myanmar outside of Kachin region. "There is an entire rare earth ore belt stretching from Kachin State, Shan State, to parts of Laos," Meehan said.

David Merriman, head of research at the "Blue Plan" consulting firm and a mineral analyst, said that based on the infrastructure shown in the satellite images and the degree of terrain erosion, the two new facilities have been in operation for some time. He said that although the scale of the Shan State mines is smaller than that of the Kachin mines, the extracted elements may be the same. "The ore deposits in the Shan State may contain terbium and dysprosium, which will become the main elements mined," he said.

The top image is a satellite image panorama of the eastern rare earth mine on February 7, 2025, and the bottom image is a satellite image panorama of the western rare earth mine on May 6, 2025. Maxar Technologies

According to two miners and two nearby residents, these mines operate under the protection of the Wa Allied Army. Two residents identified that the armed personnel escorting the mineral transport were wearing uniforms of the Wa Allied Army. Miners revealed that at least a hundred people are working in shifts within the mining area.

It was introduced that during the armed conflicts in Myanmar over the years, the Shan State has basically not been involved, considered more stable than the northern regions. The Wa Allied Army has also maintained a ceasefire agreement with the government army for a long time. However, the Wa Allied Army still retains a force of 30,000 to 35,000 troops equipped with modern weapons. The headquarters of the Wa Allied Army is located in Pangkan, Myanmar, and it has a military district (Military District 171) along the Thai-Myanmar border in southern Myanmar.

This article is an exclusive article of the Observer Network. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7515051488108872231/

Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. You can express your attitude by clicking the "thumbs up/thumbs down" button below.