Editor’s Note
This report contains firsthand observations from a BBC journalist who visited major rare earth mining sites in China. The article discusses environmental concerns and China’s role in the global supply chain for these critical minerals.
A BBC reporter has visited two of China’s largest rare earth mining areas, uncovering toxic soil and water pollution problems left behind by mineral extraction.
China tightly controls rare earth minerals, which are widely used in manufacturing electronics like smartphones and TV screens, and holds a dominant position in the global supply chain.
However, a BBC reporter’s firsthand visits to China’s two largest mining areas—one in Inner Mongolia in the north and the other in Jiangxi in the south—revealed that mineral extraction there has left behind toxic soil and water pollution problems.