China pressures rebels in Myanmar rare-earth belt

The global supply of heavy rare earths hinges in part on the outcome of a months-long battle between a rebel army and the Chinese-backed military junta in the hills of northern Myanmar.

The Kachin Independence Army since December has been battling the junta over the town of Bhamo, less than 100 kilometres from the Chinese border, as part of the civil war that erupted after the military’s 2021 coup.

Nearly half the world’s supply of heavy rare earths is extracted from mines in Kachin state, including those north of Bhamo, a strategically vital garrison town. They are then shipped to China for processing into magnets that power electronic vehicles and wind turbines.