A surge in global gold prices has ignited a mining frenzy in the Amazon rainforest, significantly accelerating deforestation in protected regions and raising alarming levels of mercury contamination. According to recent assessments from the organisation Amazon Conservation and the Brazilian non-profit Instituto Socioambiental, illegal mining operations are wreaking havoc on conservation efforts, threatening both biodiversity and the health of local communities.
Mining Rush Threatens Protected Areas
The latest findings reveal that illegal mining activities have led to extensive clear-cutting within three conservation zones in the Xingu region, one of the largest protected forest areas in the world, straddling the states of Pará and Mato Grosso. A study incorporating satellite imaging and on-the-ground research has documented the alarming rates of destruction. For instance, the Terra do Meio Ecological Station reported its first instances of illegal mining in September 2024. By the end of 2025, illegal mining had devastated 30 hectares (74 acres) of this ecological reserve.
At the Altamira National Forest, mining-related deforestation has been particularly severe, with a staggering 832 hectares (2,056 acres) cleared between 2016 and September 2025. A new mining front that emerged in 2024 expanded to 36 hectares (89 acres) by October 2025, accounting for nearly half of the mining-related deforestation recorded in that area for the year. Additionally, satellite monitoring has uncovered a clandestine airstrip in the Nascentes da Serra do Cachimbo Biological Reserve, which has seen illegal mining grow from 2 hectares (5 acres) to at least 26.8 hectares (66 acres) in just one year.
The Scale of Deforestation
Since 2018, nearly 496,000 hectares (1,225,640 acres) of rainforest have been cleared for mining across the Amazon, with approximately 223,000 hectares (551,045 acres) in Brazil alone. Amazon Conservation estimates that around 80% of mining-related deforestation in Brazil is likely illegal. While mining is currently a smaller contributor to overall deforestation compared to agribusiness, it still poses a significant threat to the integrity of protected areas and Indigenous territories.
In 2025, Brazil witnessed the clearing of about 579,600 hectares (1,432 acres) of the Amazon, with only 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) attributable to mining. “What makes mining particularly problematic is that it targets protected areas and Indigenous territories,” says Matt Finer, director of Amazon Conservation’s Monitoring of the Andes Amazon programme. The continued loss of forest cover not only threatens biodiversity but also exacerbates climate change, as the Amazon rainforest plays a critical role in regulating global carbon levels.
The Enforcement Challenge
In response to the rising tide of illegal mining, Brazilian authorities launched a significant crackdown on operations within the Yanomami Indigenous territory in Roraima state in 2023. This initiative was prompted by a humanitarian crisis driven by illegal mining activities. Although the crackdown appears to have reduced the rate of new mining operations, enforcement remains a persistent challenge.
André Luiz Porreca, a federal prosecutor investigating illegal mining, describes the enforcement landscape as a “cat-and-mouse game.” While authorities have successfully destroyed more than 500 dredges in Indigenous territories, miners often resume operations shortly after enforcement efforts subside. “The following week, Indigenous people showed me photos proving the miners had already returned,” Porreca lamented.
The involvement of powerful criminal organisations, such as the Red Command and the First Capital Command (PCC), complicates enforcement efforts. These groups finance illegal mining operations, which can involve significant financial investments, sometimes amounting to 15 million reais for a single dredge.
Mercury Contamination: A Health Crisis
The environmental consequences of illegal mining extend beyond deforestation. The operations frequently release mercury into local rivers, contaminating waterways and accumulating in fish consumed by local communities. A report submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights highlighted widespread mercury contamination, with a study indicating that 21.3% of fish sold in public markets across the Amazon exceeded the World Health Organisation’s mercury limits. Alarmingly, children aged 2 to 4 were found to be consuming mercury at levels up to 31 times higher than the recommended maximum.
Despite Brazilian laws prohibiting mining on Indigenous lands, illegal activities continue to flourish. The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples has stated that combating illegal mining is a priority for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration. However, dismantling the extensive criminal networks that sustain these invasions poses a formidable challenge.
Why it Matters
The escalating crisis in the Amazon serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of our planet’s ecosystems. The intertwining issues of illegal mining, deforestation, and mercury contamination not only threaten the health and livelihoods of Indigenous communities but also jeopardise global efforts to combat climate change. As gold prices continue to rise, the need for robust enforcement and international cooperation becomes increasingly urgent to safeguard one of the world’s most vital natural resources.
