Fuelling the Future, Poisoning the Present: Myanmar’s Rare Earth Boom

A Global Witness investigation reveals that Myanmar has become a critical source of heavy rare earth elements (HREE) for global EV and wind turbine magnets, with exports to China surging from 19,500 tonnes in 2021 to 41,700 tonnes in 2023. The report documents catastrophic environmental damage in Kachin State, including the use of toxic chemicals like ammonium sulfate and oxalic acid via 'in-situ leaching,' which has contaminated rivers and caused severe health issues for miners. The mining activity is largely illegal and controlled by militias aligned with the Myanmar military or the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), potentially funding conflict. The supply chain links these minerals to Chinese state-owned enterprises and subsequently to global brands such as Tesla, Volkswagen, and Siemens Gamesa, though the report notes a lack of definitive evidence for every specific product.

• Myanmar's role as a primary supplier of heavy rare earth elements (HREE) to China has intensified, with export volumes of HREE oxides more than doubling between 2021 and 2023, exceeding China's own domestic mining quotas by more than twofold.
• Rare earth mining in Kachin State, particularly in Region 1 and Momauk Township, is causing severe environmental degradation and health crises. The use of 'in-situ leaching' involving ammonium sulfate and oxalic acid has led to high acidity and arsenic levels in rivers, killing fish and livestock, and causing respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses among workers.
• The HREE trade is highly lucrative, reaching 1.4 billion USD in 2023, and is largely illegal and unregulated. Mining is controlled by militias aligned with the Myanmar military or the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), creating a risk that these profits fund conflict and instability.
• The global supply chain for permanent magnets used in EVs and wind turbines is heavily reliant on Myanmar's HREEs via Chinese processors. The report identifies China Rare Earth Group as an importer and links magnet manufacturers like JL MAG and Zheng Hai Magnetic Materials to global brands including Tesla, Volkswagen, and Siemens Gamesa.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Fuelling the Future, Poisoning the Present: Myanmar’s Rare Earth Boom. https://globalwitness.org/zh-cn/campaigns/transition-minerals/fuelling-the-future-poisoning-the-present-myanmars-rare-earth-boom-zh-cn/

Chicago

Global Witness. Fuelling the Future, Poisoning the Present: Myanmar’s Rare Earth Boom. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/zh-cn/campaigns/transition-minerals/fuelling-the-future-poisoning-the-present-myanmars-rare-earth-boom-zh-cn/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Fuelling the Future, Poisoning the Present: Myanmar’s Rare Earth Boom |url=https://globalwitness.org/zh-cn/campaigns/transition-minerals/fuelling-the-future-poisoning-the-present-myanmars-rare-earth-boom-zh-cn/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndfuelling, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Fuelling the Future, Poisoning the Present: Myanmar’s Rare Earth Boom}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/zh-cn/campaigns/transition-minerals/fuelling-the-future-poisoning-the-present-myanmars-rare-earth-boom-zh-cn/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }