Tanzania, March 19 -- Earlier this month, a Chinese national in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, was arrested for involvement in illegal mining activities in the region.

More than 65-ton mica was recovered from the residence of the Chinese citizen, and he was suspected of mining in Gilgit-Baltistan without legal documents.

He nevertheless secured bail and produced evidence of contract mining with a local company.

There is extensive evidence of significant corruption and clandestine mining operations in the nascent extractive industries of Gilgit-Baltistan.

In fact, more than two-thirds of the mineral-rich areas of Gilgit Baltistan have been leased out to outsiders, mostly the Chinese.

To understand the nature of the exploitation of resource...