"Myanmar military steps up fight for rare earth area and border routes", Reuters, 25 May 2026

Myanmar's military has launched renewed offensives into several border regions, including a frontier area with critical rare earth deposits and other ​vital trade routes [...].

The military's recent offensives have focused on Kachin State, a region rich in heavy rare-earth elements that abuts China, [...].

The military is seeking to drive deeper into northern Kachin State, with an eye to retake mining belts along the Chinese ‌border that ⁠produce roughly half of the world's heavy rare earths, which are essential for wind turbines and electric vehicles.