First ascent unknown | Parent range Shan Hills Elevation 1,379 m Easiest route Climbing | |
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Mount Pinpet or "Pine Tree Mountain" is a mountain in Shan State, Myanmar containing the country's second largest iron deposits. The mountain is located 7 miles southeast of Taunggyi, the capital of Shan state, and covers an area of approximately 8 square miles. The mountain stands at 1,400 meters above sea level. There are around 7,000 people that call this mountain home, most of whom belong to the Pa'O ethnic nationality.
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Local Community
The area surrounding Mount Pinpet is known as the Hopone Valley, which is home to an estimated 35,000 people and approximately 100 villages. The Thabat Stream runs southward along Mount Pinpet and continues for 100 miles before meeting the Pawn River.
The majority of villagers living near Mount Pinpet are of the Pa'O ethnic group, with ethnic Shans and Indians also living in the area. Around the base of the mountain, approximately 7,000 people live in 25 villages. The majority of these villagers are farmers, but many hunt and gather in the forests and fish in the stream.
Environmental Effects
Currently, Mount Pinpet suffers effects of deforestation from logging for agricultural expansion and firewood. If the Pinpet Mining Project continues, the mountain's ecosystem will suffer from massive negative environmental effects. Open-pit mines radically alter landscapes and this will contribute to habitat loss, further deforestation, massive erosion, and silting of water sources near Mount Pinpet.
Forced Relocation and Displacement
Local communities surrounding Mount Pinpet were neither informed of or allowed to participate in discussions about the mining project. Since the start of the mines development in 2004, the villagers around the mountain have endured forced relocation and land confiscation. Already, fifty people have been forced to move and according to the Pa'O Youth Organization, a total of 3,000 villagers are in immediate danger of being displaced, with 4,000 more likely to be displaced as excavation continues.