Chinese State Firm Expands Rare Earth and Gold Mining in Myanmar, Raising Pollution Fears

Strategic Insights -

The Chinese state firm, China Investment Mining Company, is expanding its rare earth and gold mining operations along the Kok River in eastern Shan State, Myanmar, raising concerns over cross-border pollution. Satellite images taken on October 14, 2025, show extensive changes in the area, including new road networks and mining sites at the forested foothills near the river's source. The mining waste, containing heavy metals, is being discharged directly into the Kok River, posing potential risks to over one million residents in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and tens of millions more living downstream along the Mekong basin.

Key Takeaways:

  • China Investment Mining Company, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, is expanding rare earth and gold mining operations along both sides of the Kok River in eastern Shan State, Myanmar.
  • The mining waste, containing heavy metals, is being discharged directly into the Kok River, posing potential risks to the environment and human health.
  • Gold extraction is ongoing at multiple processing sites on the western bank, where chemical residues are likely being released into the river system.
  • Two rare earth mines, one on each side of the Kok River, have undergone significant expansion, using in-situ leaching, a method known to cause severe environmental damage.
  • Thai authorities have been monitoring Kok River water quality every two weeks since April 2025, with tests repeatedly showing arsenic and lead levels exceeding safety standards.
  • The operator of the mines, China Investment Mining Company, is 90% owned by Shanghai Chijin Xiawu Metal Resources Co. Ltd., a joint venture formed in September 2022 to develop rare earth resources in Laos.
  • The Muang Kham rare earth mines in northern Laos, operated by China Investment Mining Company, show widespread environmental destruction, suggesting similar damage could occur in the Kok River basin.

Statistics:

  • The Kok River flows into the Mekong River, posing potential risks to over one million residents in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and tens of millions more living downstream along the Mekong basin.
  • Arsenic and lead levels in the Kok River have repeatedly exceeded safety standards since April 2025.
  • China Investment Mining Company is 90% owned by Shanghai Chijin Xiawu Metal Resources Co. Ltd., a joint venture formed in September 2022.
  • The Muang Kham rare earth mines in northern Laos are reported to have caused widespread environmental destruction.

Sources:

  • The Shan Human Rights Foundation, October 28, 2025.
  • Satellite images taken on October 14, 2025.
  • Chinese state-owned enterprise, China Investment Mining Company, (no date).
  • Shanghai Chijin Xiawu Metal Resources Co. Ltd., September 2022.
  • Xiamen Tungsten Corporation, (no date).
  • Chifeng Gold, (no date).
  • Google Earth, April 2025.