CNI News
May 7, 2026
Residents and political analysts are pointing out the urgent need to prevent Chinese entrepreneurs from conducting mining operations in Namtu, Northern Shan State—the location of the world-famous Bawdwin Mines.
The town of Namtu is currently controlled by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
Political analyst U Kun Gawn Awng Kham told CNI News that large-scale mining by Chinese entrepreneurs could lead to conflicts between local ethnic armed groups, and may result in poverty and environmental degradation for the local population.
"The environment will be destroyed. Furthermore, as technology advances, local people will no longer have the right to work there. The Chinese will operate on a massive scale using advanced technology, leaving the locals in poverty. These large-scale operations will inevitably damage the environment. Another point is that it will lead to future conflicts among the Palaung, Kachin, and Shan groups in that region. These consequences are unavoidable. Additionally, we are dissatisfied that the people operating here are not Shan State citizens. We are only watching because we are powerless to stop it," he said.
Views of the Namtu Bawdwin Mines.
Currently, Chinese entrepreneurs are reportedly transporting hundreds of truckloads of slag (ore waste) daily into China to re-extract minerals. While this process began last year, operations have intensified recently.
Lead, zinc, mineral waste, and slag produced from Namtu are being transported to China via the Namtu–Mansam–Lashio–Theinni–Chinshwehaw route, which is currently controlled by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
This heavy transportation has damaged the roads, creating travel difficulties for locals and hindering regional development.
U Tin Maung Thein, a local resident of Northern Shan State, told CNI News that Chinese entrepreneurs are taking this waste and slag to China to extract minerals using high-level technology.
Views of the Namtu Bawdwin Mines.
"It’s all Chinese in Namtu. There are still many minerals left there. Also, because past technology was outdated, they couldn't extract everything from the waste piles left behind over many years. They are now transporting those piles to extract minerals inside China. There is so much of this work going on. For instance, uranium has been produced in Myanmar for a long time, and there are rare earth elements too. There is still a lot left," he said.
There have already been disputes between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the TNLA regarding the world-famous Bawdwin Mines and mineral extraction in Namtu. Consequently, the Namtu area and the Namtu–Manton road frequently see territorial disputes between the KIA and TNLA, and tensions with the MNDAA are also common.
Currently, Chinese entrepreneurs are also mining rare earth minerals in areas controlled by the NDAA and UWSA in Shan State, as well as in KIA-controlled areas within Kachin State.
