The recent approval of plans by a Chinese-backed mining firm to explore a vast swathe of north-western Myanmar for copper has alarmed residents who fear losing their farms in a repeat of earlier bitter clashes over land rights, pollution, and compensation, RFA reported.

The multinational firm with links to a Chinese state-owned resource exploration firm began initial operations early this year to explore 750 square kilometres (290 square miles) of land in the Sagaing region.

In the latest moves to exploit the copper reserves of Sagaing, PanAust Services (Myanmar) Co. Ltd. was given a new exploratory license to look for copper deposits for five years in three townships in Sagaing region in May.