Illegal rare earth mining by Chinese companies in an area in Myanmar's northern Kachin State that borders China has increased sharply since a February coup, a local environmental group has said. The development has prompted speculation that as the military takeover's impact on the Southeast Asian country's economy deepens amid sanctions imposed by Western countries, the military may be allowing such mining in a bid to fund its activities. The area in question is controlled by an ethnic militia group close to the military. With no environmental assessment conducted as required by law, rivers an...
