Tibet is often referred to as the “water tower of Asia” and the “Third Pole” of the world for its enormous freshwater resources and home to a large, numerous glaciers. Besides the title that Tibet is often known to the world, Tibet has vast mineral resources including the salt lakes rich in minerals. For instance, Drangyer Tsaga (Ch: Zabuye) Salt Lake, is rich in lithium carbonate resources.
In 2007, China announced the discovery of huge minerals including copper, iron, lead, and zinc in Tibet, further reflecting Tibet’s richness with valuable minerals. Back in 2001, Substantial minerals, a world-level copper mine, a 4-5.4 billion oil field reserve, and lithium sulfate were also discovered in Tibet. While valuable minerals such as copper, lithium, and chromium are insufficient in China, Tibet is rich in mineral resources.
Those mineral resources in Tibet have become a resource curse for Tibetans. China continuously accelerated the mining in Tibet without understanding the environment, social, and cultural ties of Tibetans that were carried from ancestor to ancestor. More than having benefited from mining, it has caused severe environmental and social destruction in Tibet. One such mineral resource, currently in unstoppable demand, risks being a threat to Tibet’s ecology, Lithium is controlled by China worldwide and Tibet is one of the rich lithium sources for China to extract.
Unlike China, other countries have huge lithium reserves perhaps minerals processing and its manufacturing is largely done in China, approximately globe’s 67 percent of lithium is processed by China. According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China is booming with Lithium-ion batteries, in 2022, China exceeded the output of lithium-ion production by 750 gigawatt-hours (GWh). Booming LIBs show China thrives to increase the number of Electric vehicles. China dominates electric vehicle manufacturing and production.
BEVs are clean energy technologies widely used as an alternative solution to fossil fuel-based vehicles in transportation. The rise in the manufacture of BEVs is connected to climate change, a mitigation solution to reduce carbon emissions. However, this pathway has increased the need for batteries, especially lithium-ion battery LIBs.
China’s explanation for the discoveries of lithium in Tibet is to achieve carbon neutrality and clean energy transition. In broad, these discoveries have been made linked to climate action. However, BEV’s help in reducing carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality is still doubted, because there are multifaced challenges in lithium extraction particularly in sensitive regions like Tibet.
China’s mining in Tibet is often fraught with human rights violations, environmental degradation, disrespect to cultural norms, land displacement, economic disparity, and ignoring social inclusion. Many reports were written in the past on how China’s mining in Tibet has impacted Tibetans, especially the environment. Whether it was a disaster in Gyama or a mass of fish deaths in Lichu River, all these were directly linked to mining. The incident reflects the lack of transparency and accountability when mining is operated in Tibet.
Carbon emission is a global concern not only for China. However, in the name of carbon emissions and green transition, China continues to develop its mines and mining in Tibet. When social inclusion is disregarded and informed consent is underestimated, what truly defines ‘green’?”
Extraction will increase when the demand for lithium increases. Lithium mining is connected with high water contamination risks, which were seen in 60 percent of lithium mines. The growing demand for raw materials is clear, however, the sound governance of how mining is carried out in compliance with integrity and sustainability is still questionable.
Lithium in Tibet
The 2023 report titled ‘Tibet: A New Frontline of the ‘White Gold Rush’ in the Global Race for Renewable Energy,’ authored by Gabriel Lafitte, clearly indicates how Tibet is an important source of raw materials for China’s mining industry. Even prominent manufacturers like Tesla and BYD heavily rely on lithium from Tibet for battery production.
According to China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, nearly one million tonnes of lithium ores were discovered in Nyagchu (Ch: Yajiang) County, in January 2024. The discovery was made in the region of Kham, formerly part of eastern Tibet but now under the administration of the Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province. According to the report, this discovery has the potential to become the largest source of pegmatite-type monomeric lithium ores in Asia. At the same time, an official ministry said they will “promote the availability and utilization of lithium mining lots, increase the supply of lithium ore, and spur the development of the lithium mining market”.
On April 7th, an additional 43.2 tons of gold resource valued at approximately 20 billion yuan were discovered in the Tsaidam Basin. The discovery of these new gold resources was the result of exploration efforts conducted in the Tinajianshan and Wolonggou areas of the region. This discovery has the potential to become a world-class gold deposit. Not only lithium, but China also intends to increase the other minerals than lithium in Tibet as well. According to the “China Mineral Geology•Qinghai Volume•Popular Edition”, as of the end of 2017, in Qinghai, the largest gold mine with 108.63 tons of gold resources was declared in Dachang Gold Mine located in Chumarleb (Ch: Qumalai) County, which is located in environment sensitive areas, near the headwater of Machu (Ch: Yellow) river.
Many mining areas in Tibet are close to rivers. As an impact of mining, those rivers get polluted. According to scientific findings, rivers in Tibet are contaminated with heavy metals. While other anthropogenic actions have contributed to river contamination, mining is considered the main factor for the contamination. Tibet is the source of major Asian rivers, and given the significance of Tibet in Asia, more conservation should be taken with water resources.
Copper in Tibet
Apart from discovering a new mineral mine in Tibet, China has increased its production capacity from existing mines. On February 22 this year, the Tibet Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission approved the expansion project for the Chulong (Ch: Julong) mine’s second phase. The Phase Two expansion project will increase the mine’s daily production capacity from 150,000 to 350,000 tonnes. The report states that production from the Phase Two project will begin by the end of 2025. Once the expansion project reaches its designated capacity, this will become China’s largest standalone copper mine with an annual ore production capacity of more than 100 million tonnes. The mining area’s conditions are unfavorable, being an extremely cold and oxygen-deficient area located 5,000 meters above sea level.
Chin’s intention to increase mining in Tibet is seen in Lhasa for example, this area is found with huge copper deposits. Some are in process and some have yet to be extracted. The distinct part of this discovery is that these were found in clusters.
Some of the examples are Qulong, Rongmucuola, and Zhibula, a copper polymetallic mine near Meldro Gungkar (Ch: Maizhokunggar) County in so-called the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Two years back announcement on 26 December 2021, to exploit huge copper resources from Tibet that would probably become copper mines with the largest scale of mining and processing in the world when the relevant government agrees shows the significance of Tibet’s raw materials to China. Large discoveries of copper mines in areas near Lhasa and the recent establishment of huge copper production from Lhasa reflect, that China intends to make Lhasa a, mining hub.
In a recent video shared by Tibet Times, the glaciers of Amnye Machen, a sacred mountain in Tibet, are retreating at 17 meters per year. At the same time, the Ganchu River, flowing near copper mining areas in Machen County, has been polluted due to excessive mineral exploitation, and the Tibet Times, based in Dharamsala, reported that this excessive mining has posed a significant threat to sacred snow mountains and the local ecology. According to them, mining in the areas is still ongoing.
Conclusion
In short, China has expanded existing mines in Tibet, leading to an increase in mineral production. Additionally, accelerated exploration efforts have resulted in the discovery of significant new mineral deposits in the region. The common reason that China gave for mining in Tibet is, for the development of Tibetans and to help them in financial growth. However, there is limited evidence that it proves what China claims. Instead, an increasing number of evidence has been against their claims.
Mining itself is a water-intensive process, and increasing mining could be a high risk of water pollution. It is crucial to conduct thorough scientific research on the impacts of mining and strategies to mitigate its adverse effects on river, land, and air ecosystems. The unwillingness of Tibetans to accept China’s mines in Tibet highlights how China conducts mining operations in the region without obtaining informed consent or engaging with Tibetans as stakeholders.