Name: Indigenous people, environment bear the toll of Brazils gold rush
Uploaded: 2025-11-04T10:42:05.901Z
Duration: 2 min 51 s
Description: Illegal gold mining in Brazil’s Amazon is thriving, fueled by rising gold prices and the promise of quick wealth. But with the environmental destruction it brings, local communities and Indigenous groups are bearing a heavy toll.

Illegal gold mining in Brazil’s Amazon is thriving, fueled by rising gold prices and the promise of quick wealth. But with the environmental destruction it brings, local communities and Indigenous groups are bearing a heavy toll.

Itaituba

Itaituba, located along the Tapajós River in Brazil's Amazon, is a central hub for the country's illegal gold trade, with about 75% of Brazil's illicit gold originating from the region. The city's economy is deeply tied to gold mining, which often takes place on indigenous and protected lands, resulting in significant environmental harm and mercury pollution.

Despite stricter laws and increased government enforcement since 2023, many residents continue to engage in illegal mining due to rising gold prices and limited economic opportunities. Indigenous communities face threats to their health and livelihoods as rivers are polluted, while local shop owners remain hopeful that business will recover if enforcement efforts subside.

Indigenous people, environment bear the toll of Brazil's gold rush

On the banks of the Tapajós River, Itaituba seems like an ordinary city in Brazil's vast Amazon. On the outskirts, four out of ten people are living in extreme poverty in houses on stilts along dirt roads. But one thing sets Itaituba apart. Its downtown is lined up with stores either buying gold or selling jewelry. The price is determined by the number of grams of gold each piece has. One gram costs around US$100. Known as the Nugget City, Itaituba is the epicenter of Brazil's illicit industry in gold extraction and laundering. Around 75% of all of the country's illegal gold comes from this region. There was a time when the store across the street used to buy 150 kilos of gold every week. Much of this gold comes from illegal mining in indigenous lands and protected areas, often laundered as if it were from legitimate companies. But since 2023, tougher legislation and frequent government crackdowns have affected local business. Before, the government didn't go after illegal miners like they do now. It's not fair. They're not criminals, just regular people trying to survive in a place with no industries or jobs. 60% of the city's economy revolves around mining. But with environmental agents patrolling the area, miners are now laying low, waiting for the government to shift its focus to other parts of the Amazon. People here are quite suspicious. As soon as we entered the first gold shop and started asking some questions, we heard fireworks. And we were told that it was one lookout warning others that outsiders had arrived. Despite the crackdown, many people continue to risk it. With gold prices up by 50% this year, the lure of wealth is too strong to resist. Illegal miners once working alone are now hired by larger operations with heavy machinery, causing mercury pollution and environmental damage on an unprecedented scale. For the people who rely on the Amazon's rivers for food and transportation, the consequences are dire. Our lands are being invaded by illegal miners who promise our young people riches. But what future will they have if our water and fish are poisoned? Back in Itaituba, shop owners hope business will pick up once the environmental agents leave. The city's future, they say, remains tied to the trade that's illegal but lucrative. Monica Yanakev, Aljazeera, Itaituba, Brazil.

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