The United States is loaning US $627 million, together with Chinese banks, to expand the Gyama Copper Gold Polymetallic mine in Meldro Gungkar County in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The mine, although publicised as a model project, has a history of landslides, in which people have died; pollution; environmental damage and detrimental impact on the socio-economic conditions of the area which includes a crackdown on local Tibetans protesting about the mine.