Illegal gold mining in the Amazon has reached "epidemic" proportions in recent years, causing serious damage to pristine forest and waterways, a conservation group said on Monday as it released an unprecedented new map of the activities.
A gold miner pours water containing mercury to separate gold from grit and other minerals at an illegal gold mine at a deforested area of the Amazon rainforest. /VCG Photo
"Illegal mining in the Amazon, notably in indigenous tribal territories and protected nature zones, has increased exponentially these past years because of the rising price of gold," said Beto Ricaro, a Brazilian anthropologist who coordinated the cartography done by the Amazon Socio-Environmental, Geo-referenced Information Project (RAISG).
View from the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) in the middle of the Amazon forest. /VCG Photo
The map put out by the group showed 2,312 illegal sites in 245 zones in Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru – all countries across which the vast Amazon forest is spread.
A squirrel monkey hangs out on a branch. /VCG Photo
The Amazon River basin is home to perhaps a quarter of the world's terrestrial species. The trees here are the engines of about 15 percent of photosynthesis that occurs on land. And numerous species, including plants and insects, have yet to be identified.
Munduruku Indian warriors prepare themselves for the search of illegal gold mines. /VCG Photo
Ricardo said the illegal operations destroyed the forest through clearing, polluted rivers with mercury, and threatened the survival of some indigenous communities.