Analysis performed by Myanmar Useful resource Watch, a civil society group, discovered that corporations mining uncommon earths in Myanmar depend on a variety of chemical compounds categorised as hazardous—together with sulfuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids—and that these corporations routinely violate laws on the chemical compounds’ import, transport, storage, use, and disposal. Not solely can hydrochloric acid kill aquatic life, it additionally dissolves heavy metals, like cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury, and radioactive supplies, like thorium and uranium, from soil and rocks.
Whereas no quantitative research have been revealed on the environmental impacts of rare-earth mining in Shan State, analysis from Kachin State presents some indication of the potential dangers. In April, Tanapon Phenrat of Thailand’s Naresuan College revealed a examine primarily based on evaluation of floor water and topsoil samples taken at or downstream from rare-earth mining websites in Kachin. He recognized “extreme contamination” of the water, “extraordinarily acidic pH ranges,” and “alarmingly excessive concentrations” of ammonia, chloride, radioactive components, and poisonous heavy metals.
He additionally discovered that metals and metalloids current in water samples posed “substantial danger” to aquatic ecosystems and that the water at among the testing websites was “fully unsuitable for human consumption, irrigation, or fish tradition with out in depth therapy.”
Uncommon-earth components themselves may also adversely impression human well being, in line with secondary analysis revealed in 2024 within the journal Toxics. This evaluate discovered that publicity to rare-earth components by inhalation, ingestion, or pores and skin contact can destroy organ construction and performance, affecting the respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular, reproductive, and immune programs.
“Proper now, the way in which these minerals are ruled usually overlooks a serious downside,” mentioned Thaw Htoo, a PhD candidate of geography and sustainability on the College of Lausanne who conducts her analysis utilizing a pseudonym as a result of security issues. “They’re important for the worldwide inexperienced transition, but their extraction is going on with virtually no guidelines. The case of Myanmar reveals why we have to rethink what ‘vital minerals’ means and ensure we take into account not solely provide safety, but in addition the protection and well-being of communities and the setting.”
Emily Fishbein is a contract journalist at present serving as a Pulitzer Heart Rainforest Investigations Community fellow. Jauman Naw is a contract investigative journalist from Kachin State, Myanmar, who focuses on environmental points. He writes beneath a pseudonym for his security. This text was initially revealed on Undark. Learn the unique article.
