Worth A Thousand Words

Lunar-like landscape surrounding main gold mine (see Hukaung Gold Mines) at Shimbweyeng inside (italics mine) the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Kachin State, Myanmar. My current work in the Hukaung Valley (see Shinlonga) doesn't extend as far north as Shimbweyeng, so I have no idea about the current status of this mine - or the nature of any vegetation that may have grown back on the site. [NOTE: Image was taken in 2005].  

Hukaung Gold Mines

There are several gold mines inside the Hukaung Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar (see Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey).  Aside from the questionable politics, shady partnerships, thorny social issues, and complex money trail involved, suffice it to say that ecologically this is a really bad idea.