Based on testimony from Laotian officials, the mining environment in southern Laos has changed rapidly in recent years, with a sharp increase in mostly illegal and unregulated mining along rivers and streams, particularly in remote areas. Officials said law enforcement is inconsistent because of limited staff, resources and difficult terrain. Several officials reported declines in fish and crab populations in rivers such as the Xe Xou and said communities remain dependent on waterways that may be exposed to mining-related pollution. A proliferation of rare earth mines in Laos and Myanmar has also raised concerns about deforestation, displacement of local communities, and the transboundary contamination of rivers flowing downstream into Thailand and Vietnam. Of the 517 Laos mines in Stimson’s data, roughly a third appear to have opened in 2024 or 2025. Twenty-six were identified as rare earth mines, while the rest are thought to be for gold, nickel, manganese or copper.