Since mid-October 2022, large-scale coal excavation has begun in Ke See township, central Shan State, to feed blast furnaces in Pinpet near Taunggyi, which will produce iron for the Myingyan steel plant in Mandalay. This production chain will actualize the Burma Army’s long-held plans to boost local steel manufacture and strengthen its defence industry.
The iron and steel mills at Pinpet and Myingyan started being constructed under the former SPDC regime, but never became fully operational, and were suspended in 2017 by the NLD government, due to alleged financial losses. Since the February 2021 coup, the SAC regime has restarted the projects, with the help of Russian and Italian companies.