A Myanmar worker is operating on the assembly line of the Letpadaung copper smelter. (Sun Guangyong, People’s Daily)
The Letpadaung Copper Mine, operated by China’s Wanbao Mining Ltd. in the Monywa, Sagaing Region, Myanmar, is one of the demonstration projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). With a 30-year production cycle, the mine, which is one of the largest copper hydrometallurgy projects in Asia, has brought large benefits to the population of Myanmar.
"The Letpadaung Copper Mine has yielded long-term and steady benefits for the Chinese company and Myanmar’s government, companies, communities and employees. It has played a vital role in promoting Myanmar’s economic growth and improving residents’ livelihood," said Tin Aye, former chairman of the Union Election Commission of Myanmar.
With advanced facilities sourced globally, world-leading technologies and management skills, the Chinese-operated mine project has made great contributions to Myanmar’s tax revenue. It has also taken multiple measures to sustain the natural sound environment in Myanmar, including the regular monitoring of surface water, groundwater, air, noise, soil as well as the constant expansion of the area of monitor. To minimize the negative impacts on the environment as much as possible, the project strictly follows international environmental standards and has adopted tough anti-pollution measures.
There is a total of around 3,500 Myanmar workers taking part in the Letpadaung Copper Mine project, accounting for 90% of the total employees. Over 8,000 workers have been vocationally trained, and 156 of them have been promoted to managerial positions. Meanwhile, establishing an international vocational and technical college is part of the project’s plan to improve the vocational education in Myanmar and cultivate talents for local economic development.
Since its completion, the mine project has not only promoted Myanmar's economic development, but also hugely benefited local people. Guided by the principle of “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits”, the Wanbao Mining has guided villagers from over 30 surrounding villages towards prosperity. By the end of 2019, the project has invested an accumulated total of 8 million US dollars in renovating roads, expanding access to water and electricity, improving education and medical health, and etc., significantly improving not only the infrastructure, but also the living standards of local communities. The project also introduced an industrial pattern that combines livestock and mixed crop farming, creating over 800 jobs for local villagers.