By Dhondup Wangmo, Research Fellow, TPI
Historical Context and Current Situation
Tibet possesses abundant natural resources, with approximately 126 identified mineral types including bauxite, chromite, copper, gold, iron, and silver. Historically, Tibetans maintained a harmonious relationship with their environment, guided by Buddhist principles that viewed mountains, rivers, and lakes as sacred rather than resources for economic exploitation.
Large-scale mining in Tibet began only after China’s invasion. China justifies mining activities as necessary for Tibet’s development and financial growth, but evidence suggests these operations primarily benefit China’s economy while causing environmental degradation and human rights violations in Tibet.
Strategic
Importance of Lithium
Lithium has become a critical resource for the global transition to renewable energy, essential for electric vehicle batteries and reducing carbon emissions. China currently dominates the global lithium market, with Tibet serving as a significant domestic source. Major manufacturers like Tesla and BYD rely heavily on lithium from Tibetan sources.
Tibet’s numerous salt lakes, rich in lithium and other minerals, have become targets for extraction. In 2017, China announced a trial lithium extraction project near Qarhan Salt Lake expected to produce 20,000 tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually. In January 2024, China discovered nearly one million tons of lithium resources in Nyagchu County (Yajiang), reportedly the largest pegmatite-type lithium mine in Asia.
Copper Mining Expansion
Four of China’s five largest copper production mines are located in Tibet. The Yulong Mine produced approximately 115,910 tonnes of copper in 2022, while the Pulang and Julong mines produced 98,060 and 87,520 tonnes respectively. Mining operations have intensified, with the Yulong Copper Phase Two project accelerating production from 30,000 tonnes in 2020 to 144,000 tonnes in 2022.
Zijin Mining Group announced plans in February to expand the Julong Copper Mine’s capacity to 350,000 tonnes per day, potentially making it China’s largest standalone copper deposit despite unfavorable environmental conditions and harsh climate in the region.
Impact on Tibetan Communities and Environment
The paper documents several concerning practices:
- Lack of informed consent: Tibetans often only learn about mining operations when Chinese companies arrive for extraction, receiving no prior information or consultation.
- Forced relocation: China’s “extremely high-altitude ecological relocation” policy allegedly serves to forcibly relocate Tibetans from their land, facilitate easier access for mineral exploitation, and prevent local resistance.
- Environmental damage: Mining activities have caused pollution of rivers like the Ganchu River and retreating glaciers at sacred mountains like Amnye Machen.
- Labor practices: There are growing concerns about a labor transfer program in Tibet that shows similarities to programs implemented in Xinjiang, raising questions about voluntary participation and potential coercion.
Legal Framework and Its Limitations
In April 2023, China adopted the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law, which supposedly strengthens ecological protection. However, the law lacks clarity on specific requirements for resource development and fails to ensure free, prior, and informed consent of local communities.
Article 33 prohibits mining activities that don’t comply with “ecological protection control requirements” in nature reserves at river sources, but the vague wording appears deliberately designed to allow future mining. Past evidence shows China has modified boundaries of protected areas to allow mining to continue.
Case Study: Tsawo Tsering
The case of Tsawo Tsering illustrates the challenges faced by environmental defenders in Tibet. After sharing video evidence of illegal sandstone mining in Tsaruma that threatened water supplies and caused soil erosion, Tsering was sentenced to eight months in prison in October 2024. Despite multiple appeals to local authorities since 2023, the government dismissed concerns, merely imposing a penalty on the responsible company without stopping the destructive practices.
Conclusion
With expanded mining operations in Tibet, local communities bear the environmental and social costs while China monopolizes profits from extracted resources. China’s claims of bringing modernity and environmental conservation contrast sharply with the reality of ecosystem destruction, forced relocation of Tibetans, and suppression of local voices. The author argues that effective environmental protection requires incorporating indigenous knowledge and respecting the rights of Tibetan communities to participate in decisions affecting their land and resources.
PS: This is a brief overview of a more detailed paper by Dhondup Wangmo. To access the full paper, click on the link – it will be added shortly.
*Dhondup Wangmo is a research fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Tibet Policy Institute.