The investigation follows remote, riverine communities in Laos and Cambodia who are grappling with the environmental fallout of a booming, largely unregulated mining industry. As demand for gold and critical minerals — vital for electric vehicles and rechargeable batteries — surges, new mines have been cropping up aalong rivers in the Mekong basin, contaminating rivers that thousands rely on for drinking, farming, and fishing. Villagers describe water turning murky and acidic, fish dying, and widespread skin irritation and illness. Despite petitions and grassroots activism, many communities remain fearful of speaking out, and access to mining sites is tightly controlled by guards and local authorities.
DW’s reporting reveals how rare earth and gold extraction—often carried out with minimal oversight—has disrupted traditional ways of life and placed entire ecosystems at risk. Experts warn that the chemicals used in leaching processes are far from environmentally safe, and satellite imagery shows the scale of the problem growing. Can Indigenous groups fight to protect their culture, and unique way of life?