Global demand for rare earths is wreaking havoc on one of Asia’s mightiest river systems

Thai fisherman Sawat Kaewdam sorting his fishing net along the banks of Mekong river in the Golden Triangle region in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai province. Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images

Global demand for rare earth minerals is driving the toxic pollution of some of Asia’s most important rivers, threatening the health and livelihoods of tens of millions of people.

Rare earths are at the center of furious geopolitical competition, especially between the United States and China, the latter of which has built up near-total control of the minerals as part of its wider industrial policy .

A global scramble to secure new sources is now on but many regions rich in deposits are already glaring examples of the cost of unchecked mining.

The mighty Mekong River is the heart and lifeline