Gold mining in Brazil’s Amazon raises deforestation concerns as illegal mining operations continue expanding deeper into protected forests and Indigenous territories. Environmental groups and prosecutors warn that the rapid rise in illegal gold extraction is not only accelerating forest loss but also contaminating rivers with mercury, creating serious risks for wildlife and local communities.

Recent monitoring data shows that illegal mining activity has intensified across several protected regions of the Brazilian Amazon. In the Terra do Meio Ecological Station, illegal mining was first detected in September 2024. The nearby Altamira National Forest has also faced considerable losses, with nearly half of 2025’s mining deforestation coming from a new mining zone.

Illegal Mining Is Expanding Across Protected Forest Areas

• Terra do Meio Ecological Station: Illegal mining activities spread across more than 30 hectares within just over a year after the first signs appeared in 2024.
• Altamira National Forest: Satellite data showed 832 hectares of forest loss linked to illegal mining activities since 2016, with a newly opened mining front alone accounting for 36 hectares by October 2025.
• Nascentes da Serra do Cachimbo Biological Reserve: Researchers identified a hidden airstrip being used by illegal miners. Mining in the reserve expanded from 2 hectares to nearly 27 hectares by 2025.

The larger trend is equally worrying. According to Amazon Mining Watch, nearly 496,000 hectares of rainforest across the Amazon have been cleared for mining since 2018. Around 223,000 hectares of this deforestation occurred in the Brazilian Amazon alone.

Environmental researchers estimate that nearly 80% of mining-related deforestation in Brazil is likely illegal.

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Mercury Pollution Is Becoming a Major Public Health Threat

While deforestation is visible from satellite images, the damage caused by mercury contamination is far less visible but equally dangerous. Illegal gold mining operations commonly use mercury to separate gold from sediment. The toxic metal eventually enters rivers and aquatic ecosystems, contaminating fish that many Amazonian communities depend on for food.

A report submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found that more than 21% of fish sold in Amazonian markets exceeded mercury limits recommended by the World Health Organization. In some cases, children living in affected regions were found to have mercury exposure levels up to 31 times higher than safe limits.

Federal prosecutor André Luiz Porreca warned that rising gold prices are fueling the expansion of illegal mining networks. According to him, criminal groups such as the Red Command and First Capital Command are heavily involved in financing operations across the Amazon.

He noted that some mining dredges used in illegal operations can cost as much as 15 million reais, highlighting the scale and organization behind the activity.

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Brazil Faces Growing Pressure to Control Illegal Mining

Government Crackdown Slowed Mining in Some Regions

In 2023, Brazilian authorities launched a major operation against illegal mining inside the Yanomami Indigenous territory in Roraima after reports of a humanitarian crisis linked to mining expansion.

Mining Persists Despite Enforcement

Although the intervention reduced the annual growth of new mining zones in Yanomami territory, illegal miners continue shifting operations into other remote forest areas.

Indigenous Lands Remain Highly Vulnerable

Environmental experts say Indigenous territories and protected forests remain among the most targeted regions because they contain valuable mineral reserves while often lacking constant enforcement presence.

Authorities Admit Long-term Challenges Remain

Brazil’s Environment Ministry says mercury contamination remains a persistent issue and has promised expanded scientific monitoring and stronger enforcement measures. However, prosecutors describe enforcement as a continuous “cat-and-mouse game” due to the mobility and funding power of criminal mining networks.

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Key Statistics Linked to Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon

Gold mining in Brazil’s Amazon raises deforestation fears at a time when the rainforest is already under pressure from climate change, logging, and agricultural expansion. Scientists and environmental groups warn that if illegal mining continues spreading into protected ecosystems, the long-term damage may extend far beyond forest loss, affecting biodiversity, water security, Indigenous communities, and even the Amazon’s ability to regulate the global climate.

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