• Burmese
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
31 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Myanmar Junta to Restart Controversial Quarry at Rakhine’s Marble Mountain

The Irrawaddy by The Irrawaddy
December 12, 2022
in Burma, Factiva, News
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
Myanmar Junta to Restart Controversial Quarry at Rakhine’s Marble Mountain

The Nayputaung marble quarry / CJ

3.1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Myanmar’s military regime is planning to restart the controversial Nayputaung marble quarry in Taungup Township, Rakhine State in western Myanmar. Quarrying at Nayputaung was suspended under the now-ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government.

The regime now plans to revive the quarry under a joint venture with Vietnam’s Simco Song Da Joint Stock Co.

U Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government signed a contract with Simco Song Da in 2012 to produce decorative marble at Nayputaung (Mount Naypu) until 2032.

RelatedPosts

Myanmar People Skeptical of Junta’s Promises of Election, Peace

Myanmar People Skeptical of Junta’s Promises of Election, Peace

July 7, 2025
497
TNLA Defies Myanmar Junta Push to Cede Shan Towns in China Talks  

TNLA Defies Myanmar Junta Push to Cede Shan Towns in China Talks  

July 7, 2025
730
Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

July 7, 2025
5k

Production started the following year but Taungup residents complained they were receiving no benefits from the project while expressing serious concerns about its environmental impacts. Environmentalists from other parts of Rakhine joined a campaign demanding an immediate end to quarrying at Nayputaung, saying the project amounted to environmental vandalism and was proceeding against the wishes of the local community.

Following a constant stream of protests, the project was finally suspended in 2018 under the NLD government.

However, the junta announced on Nov. 25 that a joint management committee comprising representatives from its Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation and the Vietnamese company had been formed to oversee the restart of operations at Nayputaung.

Residents, environmentalists and others were dismayed by the news.

“Such valuable resources are not something that should be sold to foreign countries,” said Ko Tun Kyi, director of the Peace and Development Center based in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State.

“It takes thousands of years for a marble mountain to form. We the people cannot accept such a valuable thing being recklessly sold off.”

Rakhine environmentalists said the project lacks transparency, with no publicly available data about revenue from the marble quarrying or how profits were shared. They also complained that locals have never been told about the quarry’s environmental impacts.

Rakhine Women’s Network chairwoman Daw Nyo Aye said: “We raised objections when the project started. They are now planning to resume it and we have a lot of concerns. We are concerned there could be landslides along the road if the entire mountain is flattened.”

Nayputaung is located on the Taungup-Pantaung road about 50 kilometers from Taungup town. The project covers over 240 hectares.

It is expected to produce over 7,000 tonnes of marble stone per year, said environmentalists, citing the contract.

Simco Song Da reportedly quarried many large square blocks weighing hundreds of tonnes from the mountain between 2013 and 2017. It is not clear how many tonnes were extracted in total. However, locals say 60 percent of the mountain has gone.

Marble is a high-value cool stone used for walls, floors and interior décor in luxury buildings.

Residents in Taungup cannot protest on the streets for fear of a junta crackdown, but they are against the resumption of the project, said Rakhine environmentalists.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: CoupcrackdownDemocracyEnvironmentHuman Rightsjuntamarblemilitary regimeMin Aung HlaingNayputaungProtestQuarryingRakhineSimco Song Da Joint Stock CoTaungupThein SeinTransparencyVietnam
The Irrawaddy

The Irrawaddy

...

Similar Picks:

As Myanmar’s Military Stumbles, a Top General’s Dissapearance Fuels Intrigue
Burma

As Myanmar’s Military Stumbles, a Top General’s Dissapearance Fuels Intrigue

by The Irrawaddy
April 19, 2024
46.9k

The junta’s No. 2 has not been seen in public since April 3, sparking rumors that he was either gravely...

Read moreDetails
Enter the Dragon, Exit the Junta: Myanmar’s Brotherhood Alliance makes Chinese New Year Vow
Burma

Enter the Dragon, Exit the Junta: Myanmar’s Brotherhood Alliance makes Chinese New Year Vow

by The Irrawaddy
February 12, 2024
44.7k

Ethnic armed grouping says it will continue Operation 1027 offensive until goal of ousting the junta is achieved. 

Read moreDetails
Drone Attack at Myanmar-China Border Gate Causes Over $14m in Losses
Business

Drone Attack at Myanmar-China Border Gate Causes Over $14m in Losses

by The Irrawaddy
November 27, 2023
38.6k

Jin San Jiao is latest northern Shan State trade hub in crosshairs of ethnic Brotherhood Alliance.

Read moreDetails
Arakan Army Captures Myanmar Junta Brigade General in Chin State Rout: Report
Burma

Arakan Army Captures Myanmar Junta Brigade General in Chin State Rout: Report

by The Irrawaddy
January 15, 2024
36.6k

Rakhine-based armed group has reportedly detained the chief of 19th Military Operations Command after seizing his base in Paletwa Township.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Coup Leader Showers Medals on Troops as String of Defeats Erodes Morale
Burma

Myanmar Coup Leader Showers Medals on Troops as String of Defeats Erodes Morale

by The Irrawaddy
December 8, 2023
32.9k

Min Aung Hlaing was trying to distract attention from a string of military defeats by handing out 147 medals for...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Arrests Thai Condo Buyers, Realtors as Currency Crashes
Business

Myanmar Junta Arrests Thai Condo Buyers, Realtors as Currency Crashes

by The Irrawaddy
June 4, 2024
27.7k

Monday’s arrests follow reports that Myanmar has become one of Thailand’s most lucrative markets for selling condos since the 2021...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Myanmar Junta Proxy Party Chief Earns Support From Former Colleagues

Myanmar Junta Proxy Party Chief Earns Support From Former Colleagues

Myanmar’s Generals: The Banality of Evil

Myanmar’s Generals: The Banality of Evil

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Myanmar Regime Leader Rejects World Bank Economic Forecast as Inaccurate

Myanmar Regime Leader Rejects World Bank Economic Forecast as Inaccurate

5 days ago
1.5k
From Foreign Policy Drift to Diplomatic Freefall in Myanmar

From Foreign Policy Drift to Diplomatic Freefall in Myanmar

1 week ago
2.1k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

    Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • TNLA Defies Myanmar Junta Push to Cede Shan Towns in China Talks  

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Timor-Leste Hits Back at Myanmar Junta’s Objection to ASEAN Membership

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar’s Civilian Govt Rebuffs Junta’s Appeal for ‘Cooperation’

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar’s Strongest Armed Ethnic Alliance is Faltering

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.