{"id":4148,"date":"2025-05-15T13:44:51","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T13:44:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shanhumanrights.org\/?p=4148"},"modified":"2025-05-16T06:08:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T06:08:38","slug":"update-satellite-imagery-indicates-rare-earth-mining-in-southern-mong-hsat-only-25-kms-from-thai-border","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shanhumanrights.org\/?p=4148","title":{"rendered":"Satellite imagery indicates rare earth mining in southern Mong Hsat only 25 kms from Thai border"},"content":{"rendered":"

Update by the Shan Human Rights Foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n

May 15, 2025<\/p>\n

Satellite imagery indicates rare earth mining in southern Mong Hsat only 25 kms from Thai border<\/strong><\/p>\n

Satellite images indicate that rare earth mining is taking place in two locations in Mong Yawn, southern Mong Hsat, about 25 kilometers from the northern Thai border, opposite Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai province. It is feared that toxic residue from the rare earth mines is contaminating water sources entering the Kok River, with dangerous impacts on the health of over a million people living downstream on both sides of the border.<\/p>\n

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Suspected rare earth mining site, 2.6 kms west of Kok River<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Suspected rare earth mining site, 3.6 kms east of Kok River (The processing pools appear to be covered by black netting)<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The layout of the mining sites shown in the satellite images, with rows of circular processing pools, is the same as the layout of rare earth mining sites<\/a> in Kachin State, where large amounts of terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy) are mined by Chinese companies.<\/p>\n

The type of rare earth mining in Kachin State is the extremely environmentally destructive \u201cin situ leaching<\/a>\u201d method, involving pouring chemicals through pipes into hills to leach out the rare earths. The chemical solution is then piped into pools, where further chemicals are added to extract the rare earth.<\/p>\n