Myanmar women exploited in rare earth mines

The Irrawaddy

In northern Myanmar’s Kachin State, women displaced by conflict are being drawn into Chinese‑run rare earth mining camps where exploitation has become routine. Behind the promise of lucrative mineral wealth, female workers face a grim choice: endure punishing labour or accept “mixed” roles that combine daily tasks with sexual favours for employers.

Locals say the terms “clean” and “mixed” have become common slang inside the mines, disguising coercion as choice. Sources estimate that up to 90 per cent of women are forced into “mixed” arrangements, often under threat of dismissal or withheld pay. One mother of five described how mounting debts and the need to feed her children left her with no option but to work as a cook‑companion. “I didn’t want to choose this path,” she said, “but when the children needed food and school fees, there was no other way.”

The abuses are not confined to Kachin. Women fleeing violence in Sagaing, Magwe and Rakhine have also ended up in these camps, trapped by debt and desperation. Male workers report witnessing forced abortions and hearing Chinese bosses openly liken Myanmar women to disposable shirts.

Mining operations resumed swiftly after the Kachin Independence Army seized Pangwa in late 2024, with Chinese businessmen tightening their grip. While rare earth minerals from Pangwa and Chipwe fetch millions on global markets and power modern technologies, the women who sustain these sites remain voiceless, their struggles buried beneath mountains carved up for profit.

The stark reality is that Myanmar’s rare earth boom is being built on the backs of women forced into exploitation, a story of survival overshadowed by the relentless demand for minerals.

-2026-07-08